It’s battle time again!

TVJ’s Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz returns today

GUESS WHAT time of year it is. You guessed it – it’s time for TVJ’s ‘Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz’. The popular children’s quiz show is back, starting today at 6:30 p.m. on TVJ when defending champion Mona Prep School goes up against Portsmouth Primary School.

Excitement is high as the team from Mona is leaving nothing to chance.

“We start (practising) from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. (during the holidays), so it’s pretty long and intense. It’s almost like a school day!” said Lakhranue Suckoo, one of the Mona team’s coaches.

Suckoo said the team only has one repeat player.

“The others are new students, so that makes it even more difficult because they are starting from scratch,” he said.

Justin Blackwood, a grade-five student who is a member of the team, said his objective is to win the competition and make his coach and parents proud. “My aim also is to conquer and be a good team player,” he said. Suckoo said the team is determined to win again, especially having been title holders for the last five years. However, Portsmouth Primary might have something to say about that. After being out of the competition since 2015, the school is returning to the ‘Junior Schools’ Challenge Quiz’ with a sense of renewed enthusiasm. Team captain 10year-old Jayden Edwards has expressed confidence in the team’s ability to overcome its first major challenge when they meet the defending champions. “We are confident we can beat Mona Prep. We know they are the defending champions and have always been tough, but we will be prepared for them,” said Edwards, who has the responsibility of leading the charge in the social studies discipline while keeping a tight reign on his fellow team members to avoid mistakes. Coaches Kadian Alexander, Claudia Gayle Rose, and Tricia Morgan all expressed confidence in the team’s ability to perform well if able to regurgitate the things they have been taught.

“Portsmouth is a school where we work together. The students on the team are challenged by their classmates. We are back, and our intention is to do well,” said Alexander.

We are confident we can beat Mona Prep. We know they are the defending champions and have always been tough, but we will be prepared for them.