On Tuesday 8 th November, 2016, four members of Naparima Girls’ High School’s new club,
‘OutSpoken’ participated in the semi-finals of the Courts Bocas Lit Fest, Secondary Schools
Speak Out Competition. This event was hosted at the Nalis Library in Couva from 10am to
1pma. Participants included Jen-ai Mohammed (President), Korena Baggan (Vice-President),
Ayana Mahadeo and Rachel Leong-Poi, accompanied by Miss Shivanna Ramrattan (teacher).
Two original pieces were performed; an individual and group piece. We were one out of seven
schools representing the ‘South Zone’, competing for first place in order to head to the finals.
There were two rounds where the schools had the choice of either performing their group
piece first followed by the individual, or vice-versa. For each round, a sacrificial poet was
needed to perform first, in order to set the standard or quality high for participants to be
judged. The sacrificial poets were members of the ‘2Cents Movement.’ The judging was based
on a point system out of a total of 10, given on the spot after the poem has been performed,
by 3 judges.
Naparima Girls’ students were fifth to perform in both rounds with the individual piece, then
group piece respectively. Jen-ai Mohammed performed her piece entitled ‘Who taught you
how to drive?’ and placed 2 nd in the individual category, also being one of the few poets in the
competition to obtain two 9s on her score sheet. In the second round, the group piece,
performed by all four members, was entitled, ‘Obsess, Obsess, Obsess’ placing 3 rd overall as a
school with the group piece and individual scored combined.
On Friday 11 th November, 2016, the finals of the competition was held in City Hall, San
Fernando from 9am to 1pm. Jen-ai Mohammed, Korena Baggan and our patron teacher, Mrs
Shelly Sammah attended. Being one of the highest scorers in the competition, Jen-ai
Mohammed was asked to perform her piece as the sacrificial poet of Round 2. The experience
was unforgettable, worthwhile and mind-blowing. This was the first competition the
‘OutSpoken’ Club has entered and was a tremendous success, always bringing honour in
representing our school. The first of many more competitions to come. Forever Undaunted,
Forever OutSpoken…
