4th Annual Coastal Awareness Trivia Challenge is Held in Belize City
The Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute is observing Coastal Awareness Week. As a part of the activities, the fourth annual coastal awareness trivia challenge was held in Belize City this morning. Ten primary schools from Belize City participated to show their knowledge on coastal resources, threats and management practices in Belize. We spoke with Chantalle Samuels, C.E.O. of the CZMAI about the aim of today’s competition.
Chantalle Samuels
Chantalle Samuels, C.E.O., CZMAI
“We test their knowledge on matters relating to the value of the resources in the coastal zone; the benefit that we derive from those resources; as well as the threats and what management interventions are being put in place to help reduce of minimize those impacts and threats so that we can continue to enjoy those benefits now and into the future.”
Andrea Polanco
“Is it your hope – or the competition’s expectations that these kids would learn some of these best practices and implement them in their daily lives?”
Chantalle Samuels
“Most certainly. We are very cognizant that the Ministry of Education and partners in education have crafted a very good curriculum. There are gaps and so we see ourselves as being able to complement and fill those gaps. And once we impart knowledge to children, they share it with their peers, their parents. And so from this age we would like to cultivate a community of environmental stewards that would be very much in tune and aware of the issues affecting our coastal zone and it can help to spur them to action. So, they can ask questions like how can I help to address some of the issues? I can help to recycle. I can help to refuse single use plastics. When I go to a marine area I will ensure that I don’t break corals and walk on the reef. So, through this competition I do feel like we have been impacting schools over the past four years and we certainly want to be in a position to continue to do that in years to come.”
At the end of the competition, Sheila Ayala of Saint Ignatius Primary took first place; Aspen Peralta of Belize Elementary captured second place; and Caleb Williams of Saint Joseph came third. All participants were awarded gift baskets, while the winners took home cash prizes and gadgets.
