Spanish Quiz Competition makes history

By Contributor

Photos by: Mr. Javier McKenzie

 On Monday the 20th of March 2023 the John Gray High School Spanish Department hosted an Inaugural National Inter-Secondary Spanish Quiz Competition. It was an incredible event.  Judges from previous years found the then Inter-Academy Spanish quiz exhilarating and did not vacillate when they were officially invited to compete in the Inaugural National Inter-Secondary Spanish Quiz 2023. What the students did not know, however, was that they were making history. The objective of this competition was achieved. The students enthusiastically participated in a competition that has built resilience through training, developed study skills, and augmented a plethora of soft skills. Moreover, encouraged a profound love for the language.

The schools were Cayman Prep & High School, St Ignatius Catholic School, Clifton Hunter High School, Triple C school and John Gray High School. The high schools emitted nothing but excellence and represented their schools with such dignity and pride.

Our Director of Education, Mr. Mark Ray gave a compelling opening remark.  He encouraged the students to appreciate the Spanish Language. He also reminded them of the benefits of being bilingual. Mrs. Kerita Levermore - Stewart added that companies are seeking employees who are bilingual or who are polyglots. It is essential to harness the love for a second language in our schools. She also spoke of the successes at John Gray in the Spanish Department of which the Spanish quiz served as a major conduit, added Mrs. Levermore -Stewart- Subject leader for Spanish at John Gray High School.

 The First National Inter-Secondary Spanish Quiz was a worldclass event. There were moments when teachers, well wishes and even participants’ pre-school teachers sat in silence while they watched the exciting matches of five (5) sections including a Kahoot, Spell-A- Thon and Buzzer round. John Gray High school emerged as the champions, Cayman Prep was placed 3rd and Triple C walked away with the Team Spirit award.

Dylan Levy the Deputy Head Boy and Team leader for the champion team wrote:  

¡Qué experiencia inolvidable!

I was made captain of John Gray Team, I embraced the journey. Winning the competition not only for myself but for John Gray really filled me with gratification. It will be a memory that I will cherish forever. I admire the amount of time, patience and thought that was put into the National Spanish Quiz. To Mrs. Levermore-Stewart, Head of the Spanish Department at JGHS, I appreciate you for taking a vast amount of time to plan and execute this amazing quiz. Your sheer determination for this competition really shows your burning passion for the culture of Spanish and for the students at John Gray. You are an amazing teacher, and a role model. I hope that the next competition is just as good as this year’s or even better. ¡Nunca olvidaré esta competencia!

Jamie-Dean Stewart, Team captain also offered that it was a magnificent experience to develop Spanish knowledge on current affairs, culture, grammar and just Spanish as a whole. 

The John Gray High School’s diligent PTA president Ms. Marva Reid said, “the event was very successful, and the students and teachers all enjoyed themselves.  The Spanish department under the leadership of Mrs. Levermore – Stewart started this initiative four years ago and it has grown exponentially to a National Competition. We know that with this year’s success other schools will join next year. 

The National Spanish Quiz would not have been a success with some key individuals and sponsors. The Spanish Department of John Gray High School wishes to say thanks to the teachers of Spanish from across the island who participated. To Ms.  Nicole Ebanks, Ms. Erica Gordon - Judge, Miss Bicola Perry and some of our phenomenal staff, Mrs. Leonora Laylor- Brown, Mrs. Shellean Bent- Christian, Mrs. Raquel Forrester, Mrs. Sherene Spencer- Cummings, Dr. Cleyo Lawrence (Judge) and Mr. Ralston Chambers who were seated at the head table thanks for facilitating the exhilarating matches! To our sponsors Cayman National Bank (our key sponsor), Pro Gen Group, Top Taste, Kirk Market, Camana Bay Cinema C/O Florence Jones, Foster’s,Crown Event Rentals & Services Ltd, Mr. Garth Arch – Spain consulate, Mr. Fred Dallas, John Gray’s PTA, Mr. Phillip Thomas, Mr. Kirkland Lawrence, Mrs. Maureen McLean and Care Pharmacy your contributions have touched lives across the Cayman Islands, THANK YOU for your unwavering support.

To the Cayman community, team John Gray, our Principal Mr. Jon Clark and our very supportive line manager, Mr. Gavin McDougall , thanks for all you did to make this year’s National Spanish Quiz a success. A goal, a dream, a vision reached fruition from the very moment you all gave a helping hand! #TEAMWORK #IAMJOHNGRAY!