HOPEWELL, Hanover

First-time entrants Mount Alvernia Preparatory School in St James, emerged champions in the third staging of the Ministry of Education Region 4 Primary Spanish Quiz Competition, held at the Bethel Primary and Junior High in Hopewell, recently.

The team, consisting of Amelia Chattoo, Noella Brown, Raina Hutchinson, Joann Serrao and Justin Owen demolished Mount Airy All-Age of Westmoreland in the finals.

After being locked at 12 -12 at the end of the second section-the speed section- Mount Alvernia Preparatory, under the leadership of Amelia Chattoo, showed Mount Airy that they meant business and launched an onslaught in the buzzer section, winning 32-17, at the end of the contest.

This was a well deserved championship for the Montego Bay-based school, who had stomped their authority early in the competition by dismissing Howard Cooke Primary 41-16 in the first round. Mount Alvernia then went on to play Mount Airy All-Age in the second round, and were victorious 32 to 22.

In the semi-finals Mount Alvernia Prep’s opponents were Savanna-la-Mar Primary. The latter were no match for Mount Alvernia Prep, as the score at the end of the match read Mount Alvernia Prep 31, Savanna-la-Mar Primary 22.

With Mount Airy All- Age who advanced to the semi-finals as the loser in the second round with the highest score, beat Green Island Primary, setting up a second meeting with Mount Alvernia Prep in the finals.

There was a third place play-off between Savanna-la-Mar Primary and Green Island Primary.

Meanwhile, Savann-la-Mar Primary emerged winners over Green Island Primary, 30-19 in the third place play-off.

Mount Alvernia Prep was coached by teachers Mary Jones-Gonzales, Kersha Lannaman and parent Errol Chattoo.

Twelve teams- Howard Cooke Primary, Corinaldi Avenue Primary, Catherine Hall Primary, Mount Alvernia Preparatory, Chetwood Memorial Primary, John Rollins Success Primary, Esher Primary, Paradise Preparatory, Savanna-la-Mar Primary, Mount Airy All Age, Green Island Primary and Watford Hill Primary- participated in the competition.

According to Patricia Mumby-Lalor, education officer at the Ministry of Education with responsibility for Spanish, the competition is aimed at developing communication skills in the Spanish and to broaden the students’ knowledge of the language, while exposing them to the culture of Spanish speaking countries.