PRESS RELEASE
The Eastern Caribbean Telecommunications Authority (ECTEL) is delighted to announce the winners of its ‘She’s My ICT Champion’ Reel Contest, held in observance of Girls in ICT 2024. This competition was launched on 21st March 2024, inviting students from secondary, tertiary, and vocational schools across our Contracting States to use their digital skills to showcase a woman ICT leader they admire through a video reel.
The contest aimed to celebrate and empower young people in ICT, highlighting their creativity, technical prowess, and potential as future leaders in the field. Seventeen (17) entries were submitted and judged based on innovation, presentation, and relevance to the theme.
In the 12-15 category, all three winners hailed from the St. Vincent Girls’ High School. Leah Nanton secured 1st Place, winning EC$1000 plus EC$500 for her school. Kalen Browne earned 2nd Place, receiving EC$750 and Josel DaSilva clinched 3rd Place, winning EC$500. Meanwhile, Kelly Huang of Dominica Grammar School received EC$250 for the ‘Most Likes’ component in this category. This was determined by who garnered the most likes on their submission across all ECTEL official social media platforms: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube LinkedIn, and X (Twitter).
In the 16 and over category, Bradley Alexander, the lone male in the contest, from St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College emerged as the 1st Place winner, receiving EC$1000, with an additional EC$500 awarded to his school. Bradley also won EC$250 for the ‘Most Likes’ component in this category. Tonna-Shay Miller from Clarence Fitzroy Bryant College (CFBC) in St. Kitts and Nevis secured 2nd Place, winning EC$750. Axyahn Smithen, also from CFBC, achieved 3rd Place, winning EC$500.
The judging panel comprised Janique-ka John from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, a Freelance Software Engineer based in Rome, Medisha Augustine-Casimir, a Virtual Support Specialist and Digital Marketer from the Commonwealth of Dominica, and Thea Jerome an Intern at ECTEL. The judges, all impressed with the entries, remarked that the submissions were “creative and fun, but also showed the charisma we have among Caribbean students in the region! It’s heartwarming to know that they can identify role models in ICT to look up to.”
ECTEL extends its congratulations to all the winners and participants for their outstanding contributions to the field of ICT. This contest not only highlighted the talent within our schools but also underscored the importance of supporting and encouraging young people, especially girls, to pursue studies and careers in Information and Communication Technology. The contest also provided a platform to showcase the many women leaders in ICT across ECTEL’s Contracting States. The Directorate also thanks the National Telecommunications Regulatory Commissions (NTRCs) of the Commonwealth of Dominica, St. Kitts and Nevis, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines for presenting the winners with their prizes on ECTEL’s behalf.