The IWMI – hosted ‘Water and the Environment’ junior quiz took place on 6th June 2015 at IWMI headquarters in Battaramulla. It was held to mark World Environment Day (June 5).
Nearly 150 students aged 11-14 years old from 28 schools in the Western Province of Sri Lanka competed with each other to answer general knowledge questions based on water and the environment. Questions based on audio clips, pictures and cartoons added to the excitement and a special ‘sports and entertainment’ section on artists and sportspeople involved in water and the environment introduced an unusual dimension to the topic. The opening round saw teams of five from each school split into two groups, with five finalists chosen from each group. The competition was intense and participation, enthusiastic. Shehan Kumar was quiz master.
This year’s quiz saw Ananda College, Colombo, changing places with Lyceum International, winners of last year’s World Water Day quiz, to carry off the World Environment Day 2015 Gold trophy and individual prizes of Nikon digital cameras and personalized certificates. They also received a set of encyclopedias for their school. Their winning score was scored 32 ½ points out of a possible total of 50. St. Peter’s College followed close on their heels with a score of 28 points to finish first runners-up, beating Lyceum International by just one point in the fiercely contested final round. St Peter’s College were awarded the World Water Day Silver trophy, personalized certificates and branded MP3 players. As second runners-up, Lyceum International received the World Water Day 2014 Bronze trophy, and each team member received ear buds, book vouchers and personalized certificates. IWMI’s director of communications and marketing, James Clarke, was joined by Sunday Times deputy editor and features editor, Renuka Sadanandan, and Sunday Times deputy editor, Kumudini Hettiarachchi, to give away the prizes.
All team members and their teachers also received gifts and certificates for their participation, and water quality testing kits for their schools.
“I am very impressed with the breadth of your general knowledge and your team efforts,” said IWMI’s Director of Communications and Marketing, James Clarke, speaking at the awards presentation. ”Last year’s quiz set a very high standard, and you have not disappointed us this year.”
“Last year was a test run. The children got the experience to compete in this year’s quiz,” said Manoja Ratnayake, teacher in charge of the Ananda College Quiz Club. ”The children enjoyed themselves very much, and their knowledge was updated at the same time. The fields of water and the environment are very different from their studies. They learn about these fields in their day-to-day lives.”
Dimuthu Amarasiri, coach and teacher-in-charge of the Lyceum International team said, “This is the best and most professional junior quiz event organized in this country. The pressure was on us to keep up our win of last year.”
Rochelle Jayasinghe, mother of a contestant from Bishop’s College, called it a ‘joyful and unique experience.’ She said, “I was amazed to see how a simple educational quiz can stimulate so much enthusiasm and excitement in school children, including my own daughter. I thought it was a very creative idea, [which] has been instrumental in increasing awareness and educating children while also instilling an appreciation for water, the environment and other natural resources, in young hearts and minds. This quiz was unlike any other quiz I have seen before.”
The quiz was organized by IWMI in association with the Funday Times, the children’s section of The Sunday Times.