YORK Castle High is the first champion of a Greenhouse competition hosted by Noranda Bauxite Partners among schools in the mining area.

The participating schools are those which would have already benefited from a programme by the company to build greenhouses in schools in its mining area. After one year of greenhouse farming, York Castle High was declared the inaugural champions at a presentation ceremony held at the school on June 29.

Noranda’s Public and community Relations superintendent Kent Skyers said the competition is the first of its kind in Jamaica as it is different from the usual school garden competitions.

He noted that the schools which participated were quite privileged since participating meant they had a greenhouse.

The competition was lauded by a number of key stakeholders.

Jasmine Hyde, acting parish manager of Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA), said the competition broaden the knowledge of students in greenhouse farming even as she called for the continuation of the programme.

“We in the field of agriculture are also contributing to the economy,” she said.

The competition is expected to go into its second year in September with schools competing over the 2015/2016 academic year.

Executive chairman of Noranda Pansy Johnson said the competition will be expanded to include other schools. She pointed out that the greenhouse in schools project started in 2010 at the Aboukir Institute, but has grown significantly since then to include other schools and the larger mining community.

“Noranda will continue to be involved if you continue to show progress, and show interest,” Johnson told students and teachers attending the presentation ceremony.

Mario Smith, RADA greenhouse officer for St Ann, said the competition promoted agriculture in schools and greenhouse farming is a fast growing technology.

Growing up we have a lot of misconceptions of agriculture; it (this competition) has sought to change some of the misconception we have had,” he stated.

Smith who was one of the chief coordinator and judges of the competition hailed it as a success.

“I think the competition was a successful one. We are looking for better performances this September,” he said.

Smith pointed out that the teachers played a vital role in engaging students in activities surrounding the competition.

Principal of Brown’s Town High Johnallson Feraria in lauding the implementation of greenhouses in schools said students of at the Brown’s Town High have benefited significantly with the school acquiring 100 per cent passes at the CSEC level yearly. Feraria who gave the vote of thanks also called on Noranda to expand its greenhouse project beyond the mining communities to some of the areas where it has resettled persons from mining areas.

In the meantime, Kent Skyers said the interest in greenhouse technology is very high and will continue to get higher. He said the company is now looking forward to hosting an expo where farmers will get to showcase their produce.

Several sectional prizes were presented on Monday. The school awarded the most informed, based on the students’ knowledge of greenhouse technology was York Castle High. The school also won the award for best kept house. Second place in the competition went to Brown’s Town High School which won the award for the best production. Aboukir Institute was named the school with the best pest management and was placed third overall in the competition. The only primary level institution in the competition St Christopher’s School for the Deaf was given an award for their special performance in remaining very competitive among schools at the secondary level.