Bishop’s High School dominated the Chief Secretary’s Secondary Schools’ Film & Art Competition 2025, winning both categories.
The prize-giving ceremony was held on Thursday at the Shaw Park Complex.
This year’s theme for the Chief Secretary’s Tobago Secondary Schools’ Art & Film competition was “To-Be-Gonian.”
Bishop’s High School’s Jayden Matson’s piece trumped 64 submissions, earning him the first-place title and prizes in the Art category.
The first-place Art piece will be featured on the cover of the Chief Secretary’s 2026 calendar and the top 12 pieces for each month.
For the first time, a Film component was added, with six submissions being made. Bishop’s High School took home the top prize with Rachel Liz Ottley’s film “Wah Ole People Does Say.”
The Chief Secretary praised the students for understanding the theme and sharing it in powerful ways.
“Through your artwork this year you were able to tell vivid stories about Tobago and what it means to be a Gonian. What does it mean to be birthed by this place, to be raised by this place and it was quite interesting to see the perspective of our young people and what jumps out to them about being Tobagonian. We wanted this year to invoke in our students a sense of pride and patriotism.”
Both the Chief Secretary and Chief Administrator Denese Toby-Quashie paid tribute to Earle Manswell, one of Tobago’s artists who recently passed away.
Mrs. Toby-Quashie noted that the competition provides a strong platform for expression and allows the legacy of artists to live on.
“This is one of the avenues where ideas, emotions and personal perspectives can flourish into a positive environment. It is a healthy space for them to express and explore their individuality, which is not only vital for creative growth but also crucial for their mental health and wellbeing.”
Another highlight of the event was an Honorary Film mention created by Form One Goodwood High School student Aaryan Matthew. The 12-year-old was a victim of a fire earlier this year, which gutted his home. In his film, he highlighted how his family was assisted by villagers. He expressed that being a Tobagonian means providing community support.