Elmore Stoutt High School student Adrianne Thomas was crowned the territory’s new junior ambassador of tourism after a speech competition held last week at U.P.’s Cineplex.
Ms. Thomas was among eight students from secondary schools across the territory who competed at the June 5 event.
She will now represent the Virgin Islands at the annual Caribbean Tourism Organisation Regional Tourism Youth Congress to be held in the Cayman Islands from Sept. 4-6.
The first runner-up was Carey-Ann McKie of the Bregado Flax Educational Centre Secondary Division, while Soccoria Telseford of the BVI Seventh-day Adventist School took third, according to the BVI Tourist Board and Film Commission.
During the contest, participants each began by delivering a three-minute presentation after choosing one of four tourism topics provided by the CTO. Then they were each given a “mystery question” and had to present again following a seven-minute preparation period.
Internship
Sophia Rubaine, events coordinator at BVITBFC, hosted the competition, which was organised by the Training Unit of the commission’s Product Department.
Naomi Onwufuju, who won the VI contest last year and went on to triumph at the regional competition, spoke with the students and assisted with the prize-giving.
Also on hand were officials including Tourism Director Clive McCoy.
“I was highly impressed with the level of oral and visual presentations by the debaters throughout the competition,” Mr. McCoy said. “Their youthful perspectives and innovative ideas were truly noteworthy.”
For her win, Ms. Thomas will also receive a one-month internship at the BVITBFC, a $1,000 cash prize, a one-year tenure as brand ambassador at CCT, and a laptop, according to the BVITBFC.