JPS Foundation provides over $800,000.00 in cash prizes to National School Tree Planting Competition Winners

The JPS Foundation recently awarded over $800,000.00 in cash prizes to young champion tree planters across Jamaica. This formed part of the Forestry Department’s National School Tree Planting Competition.

“At the JPS Foundation, one of our main areas of focus is the environment and we have worked with schools and communities to plant trees in key locations across the island since 2017. This competition provides us with an opportunity to expand our tree planting initiatives in schools, while teaching persons how to plant trees safely – away from power lines,” says Winsome Callum, Director, JPS Foundation.

Ms. Callum also commends all the students and teachers for their resilience throughout the competition. Despite drought conditions, the students were able to plant over 1,500 trees. The beneficiaries of the JPS Foundation cash awards are:

Secondary Category

• York Castle High School: $300,000.00 – First Place
• Lister Mair/Gilby High School for the Deaf: $150,000.00 – Second Place
• Glenmuir High School: $75,000.00 – Third Place
• York Castle High School: $150,000.00 – Most Innovative
• Shennel Haye-Stephens, York Castle High School: $50,000.00 – Most Outstanding Teacher
• Tyrique Clarke, Student, York Castle High School: $50,000.00 – Most Outstanding Student

Primary

• Bath Primary: $75,000 Third Place

The National School Tree Planting Competition started in September last year, as part of efforts to facilitate and encourage greater participation in the National Tree Planting Initiative. The competition was opened to schools at the early childhood, primary, secondary and tertiary levels. The schools that propagated and planted the most fruit and ornamental trees were judged the category winner. The competition closed in February 2023.