By Francine Black, Staff Reporter
Marlow Brown holds up the award and ribbon presented to him at the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association gala dinner in Miami last Thursday. - Carlington Wilmot /Freelance Photographer
MARLOW BROWN, a 12-year-old student of the Denham Town Primary School in west Kingston, has earned first prize in a regional poster competition.
He won the junior category of the Florida Caribbean Cruise Association's (FCCA) Cruise Foundation Environmental Poster Competition and travelled last week to Miami, Florida, to collect his plaque, blue ribbon and US$2,000. This at the FCCA's annual gala dinner.
The achievement is welcomed by the Denham Town Primary School family, which noted that many Jamaicans were not aware of the school's achievements.
"We are very proud of all of these achievements even though the wider society doesn't expect this from a school like this," Everton Jones, the school's principal, said.
CARIBBEAN COUNTRIES
Marlow's piece went up against entries from 10 other Caribbean countries in the category for children 12 years old and younger.
The winning poster depicted four different environmental concerns in the island. Guided by the theme, 'Lets Protect Jamaica' and inspired by what he sees daily, Marlow drew four pictures an overflowing garbage bin, trees that were cut down in the forest, sewage flowing on the road and a clean environment.
Marlow said he "likes to draw" and hopes to pursue a career as an artist, a businessman or a pilot. The competition, which has been staged for the past seven years, seeks to encourage environmental awareness among students.
Jamaica placed second in the senior category in 1999. Denham Town Primary has been a consistent entrant in the competition, but this is its first win.
