Students rewarded for outstanding work in inaugural jingle contest

The Barbados Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary School reigned supreme in the inaugural Schools Jingle Competition organised by the Ministry of Education.

The entry that won the top prize was created by 11-year-old student Joshua Newsam, featuring his schoolmate 12-year-old Nivedita Whitehead.

All students in public and private primary and secondary schools were invited to participate in the competition and were required to produce an original 60-second jingle with the theme, A Bright Future For Every Child. A video showcasing the creative process of the jingle was also to be uploaded on social media.

Eight schools took part in the competition: St Bartholomew Primary, Ignatius Byer Primary, Daryll Jordan Secondary, Combermere School, Mount Tabor Primary, Warrens Primary, Seventh-Day Adventist Secondary, and St Luke’s Academy Choir.

The first-place winners, who got 485 points, won a trophy, a Chromebook, a studio recording bundle, a radio interview and a free download of FL Studio download, a digital audio workstation. Second place went to Joanna Hunte of the Combermere School. She earned 401 points and won a trophy, a Chromebook, a USB microphone and a free FL Studio download.

Third place went to Brianna Worrell and Zanara Leacock of Daryll Jordan Secondary School. They earned 388 points and won a trophy and a Chromebook.

Following an award ceremony at Skymall on Tuesday, Newsam told the media he saw the competition as a launchpad for his career as an up-and-coming producer.

He said it took him two weeks to write the jingle, create a beat and mix the final product.

 

“I feel great; I am honoured and glad that I won, honestly. I saw the competition advertised online and I wanted to participate. I informed my school and told my music teacher about it. I came up with the music, the beat and the lyrics, and my mom helped me a little bit with the lyrics. After I recorded my part, I realised I wanted a hook with a female voice so I asked my friend, and I thank her for helping me out,” Newsam said, adding that he has his own home studio and has been producing music from the age of eight.

Whitehead said she was very proud of her schoolmate and was excited to be a part of his project. She said she has a background in singing as she has been using her vocals at church from a young age.

Both students thanked everyone who played a role in their success.

During the ceremony, organiser of the competition, Education Officer-Music Randy Eastmond said it was a touching experience for him and he was pleased and impressed by the level of talent the students showcased.

“It is our intention to harness this raw talent, nurture it and develop it through workshops and development sessions hosted by the best in the business represented by the practitioners . . . . We at the Ministry of Education . . . are committed to providing opportunities and nurturing environments for children to flourish, thrive and learn. Our students did just that and even exceeded the expectations of our judges and Chief Education Officer who was present. They created musically, communicated their perspective on the topic of focus and impressed our panel of judges,” Eastmond said. (SZB)