News Releases

T&T Students shine at UWI, UNICEF Conference

For Release Upon Receipt - December 6, 2024

UWI


The UWI Regional Headquarters, Jamaica. Friday, December 6, 2024—Students from Trinidad and Tobago secured five awards at the 19th Annual Caribbean Child Research Conference, held on November 28 and 29 at the University of the West Indies Sagicor Cave Hill School of Business and Management in Barbados. In the three competition categories—poster art, essays, and research papers—Trinidad and Tobago students secured first, second, and third place in the poster and second and third place essay competitions.

 Ariya Ramdass, Avocat Vedic (APS) School, Caylan Donawa, Sacred Heart Boys R.C, and Faith Williams, Marabel Anglican Primary School – all from Trinidad and Tobago, won the top three spots respectively for their posters depicting adherence to children's rights in their country. In total, there were over 50 submissions for the poster competition.

 Over 50 submissions were also received in the essay competition. Osa-Marie Hunter, from Convent High School in Dominica, earned first place for her essay on adherence to children's rights in Dominica. From Trinidad and Tobago, Ariel Alexander of South-East Port of Spain Secondary School and Bradley Ramjohn of ASJA Boys College won second and third place for their essays.

 UNICEF Eastern Caribbean sponsors the annual conference with the School of Graduate Studies and Research, the Sir Arthur Lewis Institute at The UWI, and the Ministry of Education in Barbados. It showcases academics and child researchers sharing their insights on various subjects over the two days. This year's theme was ‘The CRC @ 35: Evaluating Our Adherence to Children's Rights in the Caribbean.’

 Commenting on the initiative, Professor Aldrie Henry-Lee, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chair of the annual Caribbean Child Research Conference said that The UWI is pleased to partner in hosting a conference that promotes children's rights and builds capacity among our youth. She added, "While we value the academic presentations and publications emerging from the conference, we take even greater pride in our Caribbean children's oral and written submissions. These contributions provide insight into their perspectives on the adherence to children's rights and how we can enhance their quality of life."

 Rayanna Williams won the overall Outstanding Researcher Award. Her research paper, ‘Progress or Stagnation: Evaluating the Impact of School Hair Grooming Policies on Children's Rights in Jamaica’. She also won Best Methodology, Best Written Paper, and Best Oral Presentation prizes. Another Jamaican student, Tahnelia Forth of William Knibb High School placed second with her paper, ‘Exploring Self-Mutilation Among Adolescents in Western Jamaica’. The third place went to Jeanic Polius, St Joseph's Convent, St Lucia, for her paper, Progress in Children's Rights in Saint Lucia, 35 Years After the Adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child.

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About The University of the West Indies

The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development, residing at the center of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region for over 75 years.

From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with nearly 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Global Campus, and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The UWI offers over 1000 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and the wider world.

The UWI has been consistently ranked among the best in the world by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE) . Since The UWI’s 2018 debut in THE’s rankings, it has performed well in multiple schemes—among them including World University Rankings, Golden Age University Rankings (between 50 and 80 years old), Latin America Rankings, and the Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Well-being; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu

 

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