New heights for Mr Executive Challenge

The Mr Executive Challenge is being taken to higher heights.

With more sponsorship, the coordinators of the programme have extended it to more schools and have given the competition a new name.

The Mr Executive was conseptualised in 2017 by Winston Cumberbatch and other teachers at the St Leonard’s Boys’ School.

Back then, it was an in-house competition for senior years at the Richmond Gap, St Michael, school but going forward it will now be called the Business Executive Challenge.

During the launch of the 2023 competition held at the school recently, Cumberbatch said it would be extended to include males from The St Michael School, Lodge School, Alleyne School, The Ellerslie School and Graydon Sealy Secondary School.

During his remarks he said this competition was important because it aimed at steering young boys away from engaging in deviant behaviour and getting involved in ‘the block’ culture.

He added that in some instances, youngsters should not be solely responsible for their negative behaviour as they may not have been exposed to developmental programmes.

“Somewhere around third or fourth form is where you begin to see a movement where boys begin to lose their way to some degree. Unless meaningful interventions are made by parents, teachers and leaders in society, they often become crime statistics, either as victims or perpetrators,” he said.

“Much of what we are experiencing in our country today is not really their fault or totally theirs. Society has to be blamed because in some ways we have dropped the ball. We have marginalised and affixed negative stereotypes to our boys from childhood to make them feel less valued and capable than their female counterparts.”

The challenge is being done in partnership with the City of Bridgetown Cooperative Credit Union (COB), the Barbados Entrepreneurship Foundation (BEF) and it has been endorsed by the Ministry of Education.

The competition will start with 10 participants, who would be required to create a business proposal and start their own business as part of the BEF’s $20 challenge.

Five finalists would go on to take part in the pageant-like aspect of the competition early next year, where the winner would be announced. (SZB)