Calabar Student wins FCCA Environmental Poster Competition

Jamaican students continue to excel in the annual Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Environmental Poster Competition, with Calabar High School student, Lorenz Rowe, topping entrants from 15 countries in the region to win the senior division of the 2010 contest.
Lorenz was awarded a cash prize of US$3,000 for his winning poster entitled: ‘We are our Environment,’ which depicts groups and individuals engaged in tree planting as well as clean-up activities in communities and waterways. A similar cash award went to his Kingston-based school.
At the award luncheon held aboard the Carnival Freedom on Thursday (April 22) at the Ocho Rios Cruise Ship Pier, Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, Miss Carole Guntley, commended Lorenz on his winning piece.
“The environment is a very important part of our tourism product. We believe and our master plan tells us how important it is for us to have a sustainable tourism product and the environment is the main component of the product,” Miss Guntley said.

Calabar High School student, Lorenz Rowe (centre) smiles as he accepts the US$3,000 presentation cheque for winning the senior division of the 2010 Florida Caribbean Cruise Association (FCCA) Environmental Poster Competition. Director General in the Ministry of Tourism, Carole Guntley and Captain of Carnival Freedom, Claudio Cupisti, made the presentation to Lorenz on Thursday (April 22), on board the Carnival Freedom at the Ocho Rios Cruise Ship Pier.

She encouraged Lorenz to continue to strive for excellence and thanked the FCCA and Carnival Freedom for hosting the function to recognise his achievement.
Lorenz, for his part, said he was motivated and encouraged by his family, teacher and friends, who had faith in him.
“I feel good about winning because that was my main goal in this competition. I entered and I did my best and my best has caused me to win,” he told JIS News, stressing a need for Jamaicans to work in unity so that the country can be a better place.
Meanwhile, Lorenz’s father Brian Rowe, told JIS News that he was proud of his son. He informed that from the onset Lorenz was confident of winning.
“He came home from school one day and said, ‘dad, teacher has introduced this competition to us and I think I can enter and win’,” Mr. Rowe shared. He said that the cash prize would go towards his son’s college education.
Teacher of Art at the Institution, Ms. Melrose Dacres, told JIS News that the principal, teachers and students were all proud of Lorenz. She said that the US$3,000 cash incentive would be put to good use.
The annual FCCA Environmental Poster Competition seeks to promote and stimulate environmental awareness among Caribbean students.
The competition is divided into two categories: a senior category for students 13-16 years and a junior segment for students 12 years and under.
Last year, Huddoy Walters of Port Antonio Primary School, won the junior division of the competition.