Recently, TEENage visited Half-Way-Tree Primary for an event of creative expression where students were given poems to recite, in preparation for the Golden Tongue Awards.

Known for their speech programme, Half-Way-Tree Primary was chosen as the pilot location to get the youth involved in the competition. Headed by speech co-ordinator Catherine Malcolm and culture agent Lavine Hunter, students from several grades performed poems on different topics all related to life and situations in Jamaica.

Sponsored by Jamaica International Insurance Company (JIIC and created by Jamaican poet Yasus Afari, the Golden Tongue Awards is a poetry competition, which intended to stimulate responsible interest in the performing arts, and in particular poetry.

It is hoped that this will inspire and promote social awareness and instil a sustainable interest in social responsibility, creative writing, literature and the Jamaican culture and heritage. With the assistance of the Ministry of Education, the competition is open to persons across the island but particularly the islands youth. It will include short stories, compositions, letters, skits/plays and visual art pieces.

The winner will receive the Golden Tongue Award, a laptop and other prizes while the two runners-up will receive trophies and other prizes, all courtesy of JIIC. The winner will also gain the right to perform his/her poem at Poetry in Motion and other related events.