THE National Cultural Centre reverberated with laughter and cheering as scores of schoolchildren attended the final of the Children’s Mashramani Competition, Calypso, Dramatic Poetry and Jingle Segment.

The children coloured the stage in their various costumes, drawing the audience in on an exciting ride as they portrayed various characters. Many of the costumes featured the country’s national flag, the Golden Arrowhead.

The participants spoke on several cultural issues such as violence against teachers, the discovery of oil in Guyana, changing times, illiteracy and the power of solidarity.

Regions Two, Four and 10 were among the first schools to secure trophies at the Regional Children’s Mashramani Competition on Tuesday. Region Two’s representative, Fisher Primary’s Tiffany Boodwah, secured first place in the 11-13 calypso category, while the Region 10 representative, New Silver City Secondary’s Natoya Maraj, secured the second-place slot.

In the dramatic poetry 11-13 category, representative of Region Four North Ruimveldt’s Justine Harper, copped the top spot, followed by representative of Region Three, West Demerara Secondary’s Keba Evelyn in second place and representative of Region Five, Novar Secondary’s Ceara Chisholm, in third place.

The closing activity of the Children’s Mashramani Competition will see the children taking to the streets in their various costumes in the country’s annual Children’s Costume and Float Parade, which is slated for Saturday, February 15, when the children will make their way from Independence Park (Parade Ground) to the National Park.