On June 5, World Environment Day, Recover Guyana concluded its SHOUT 3.0 competition, the search for Guyana’s premier youth environmental speaker, identifying its national champion and shining a spotlight on Guyana’s next generation of environmental leaders. Hosted at the Ramada Georgetown Princess Hotel, the event marked the national finale of the four-phase competition which began in March, organised by Recover Guyana in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and supported by ExxonMobil Guyana. This year’s edition reaffirmed SHOUT’s status as the leading national platform for youth environmental advocacy, awarding over GYD 4 million in cash and prizes to participating schools.
Now in its third year, SHOUT empowers students in Grades 9 and 10 to raise awareness on environmental sustainability through public speaking, research and action. The competition engages youth from all ten administrative regions of Guyana, providing capacity-building workshops, mentorship and national recognition as part of a transformative experience in leadership and environmental responsibility. Since its inception, SHOUT has received international recognition from the Inter-American Development Bank, which named it one of the top ten regional initiatives under its Green Minds programme focused on environmental education.
SHOUT’s impact continues beyond the stage. In 2023, Vasanna Persaud of Queen’s College launched a student-led water purification project that saved more than 30,000 plastic bottles from landfills. The initiative is now a national model implemented in schools through Recover Guyana. In 2024, Gabriella Arjune, also of Queen’s College, introduced a hydroponic kitchen garden system that promotes sustainable farming and provides nutritious produce for school meals.
This year’s competition received more than 60 applications across 11 educational districts including hinterland regions. SHOUT 3.0 featured four challenging and engaging phases beginning with a one-minute video submission, where students pitched an original environmental project they would implement at their school if awarded one million dollars. From these entries, 30 schools advanced to the national finalists on SHOUT Day.
In the second phase, 30 finalists delivered 90-second prepared speeches addressing key environmental issues. Selected schools progressed to the third round, which tested their ability to respond confidently and clearly to impromptu topics in under 60 seconds. SHOUT Day concluded with the top three finalists advancing to the final phase, where they delivered a standard address tackling a comprehensive real-world environmental challenge. An expert selection panel carried out a transparent and fair assessment of each participant’s knowledge, creativity, environmental solutions and presentation skills.
Emerging as the SHOUT 3.0 National Champion was Anushka Singh, Queens College, who delivered an outstanding performance across all four phases and presented a compelling vision for sustainable transformation. Kuvina Singh, The Bishops’ High School earned second place for a well-balanced and emotionally resonant speech, while Subrina Jadgeo, President’s College secured third place with a thoughtful and passionate call to action.
Queen’s College will receive a GYD 1 million cash grant to implement an environmental enhancement project inspired by the national champion’s proposal. The school will also benefit from one year of free fibre internet service provided by One Communications. Anushka Singh was awarded GYD 100,000 in cash, a laptop and one year of free One Fibre service. Prizes for second and third-place winners also included cash prizes, educational technology packages and learning-focused rewards. Each national finalist received an award recognising their outstanding participation and commitment to environmental advocacy.
Special awards were also presented to Subrina Jagdeo, President’s College: the Most Influential Speech, Kristina Teekaram, Leguan Secondary School: Best Speaker Award: Environmental Impact Award, Anushka Singh, Queens College: the Go Green Awards, Kuvina Singh, the Bishops’ High School, Kristina Teekaram, Leguan Secondary School,Justin De Santos, Diamond Secondary School and Recognising excellence in communication, advocacy and innovative environmental thinking, champion speakers were awarded from each county including Demerara: Damian Martins, Hope Secondary School, Berbice: Amanda Sampson, Lower Corentyne Secondary School and Essequibo, Kristina Teekaram, Leguan Secondary School.
Dr. Dave Lalltoo, Founder of Recover Guyana, praised the achievements of the young participants, stating “These students have not only found their voices, but they have found purpose. SHOUT 3.0 is about more than speeches. It is about building a culture of environmental leadership that begins in our schools and communities.”
Ryan Lowry, of ExxonMobil Guyana, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to environmental education and youth development. He expressed “The fact that you are here, that you are exploring real, tangible ways to begin making changes, that you have thought through how you are actually going to execute your innovative ideas, shows you have the potential to continue doing great things. It’s one of the reasons why at EMGL we support youth empowerment, we support programmes that encourage critical thinking, and we support STEM education – So that we can support building the capacity of young Guyanese, and we can really help make a difference in your lives and those around you.”
Representing the Ministry of Education, Mr. Granville, Senior Education Officer for English remarked, “We are proud to partner with Recover Guyana and ExxonMobil Guyana in this endeavor. Through SHOUT, we see not only brilliant public speakers, but passionate environmental ambassadors who are already shaping the future of Guyana.”
SHOUT 3.0 is made possible through the generous support of corporate donors and partners, including the Ministry of Education, title sponsor ExxonMobil Guyana, Nand Persaud & Company Ltd.; Premium Green Sponsor, Flawless Dental GY, Camex Restaurants Inc., Scotiabank Guyana and Guyoil; Eco-Green Sponsors, One Communications; ONE Fibre Sponsor, SEVA Marketing Inc., Ramada Georgetown Princess Georgetown Hotel, Macon Construction, 360 Professional Services., Trophy Stall, Anthony Indar Productions, M. Pro Media, Engage Media, Guyana Premier Consultancy, ELEVATE, Krowned, Pixel Perfect Productions, the Guyana Learning Channel, Book-A-Ride, Phoenix Oilfield Services and Engineering Inc., AN Pins’ & Gifts, and the Guyana Tourism Authority.
Recover Guyana has grown into a national leader in youth empowerment, environmental education and community development. As SHOUT continues to expand, it remains Recover Guyana’s flagship initiative, promoting awareness, civic responsibility and leadership among young advocates committed to building a sustainable future for Guyana.
