The Ministry of Education is encouraging students to get into the ‘Graduates Can Fly’ singing competition, which was launched yesterday (June 8). 

The competition, a brainchild of reggae icon Agent Sasco and the Alvin Day-led Global Empowerment Institute, targets students throughout the Caribbean with total cash prizes of up to J$350,000 or its US dollar equivalent. 

In a statement, the ministry noted that the ‘Graduates Can Fly’ singing competition aims to empower young students as they transition to another stage in their lives. 

It is open to both primary and secondary schools in Jamaica and the Caribbean. 

The competition focuses on the moving single entitled Caterpillars Can Fly, sung by Agent Sasco and his 10-year-old daughter, Lauren Campbell. 

The bestselling book, If Caterpillars Can Fly, So Can I, written by Alvin Day inspired the track. 

The competition requires students from grades six, 11 and 12 to perform and submit a video of a maximum of three minutes at their graduation exercise, singing their rendition of the song. 

The contest entry should be sent via email to [email protected]. The lyric video for the song can be found on YouTube by clicking here. 

Video entries will be posted on social media, where voting will be conducted. The voting period begins on July 1 and ends on July 31, with the three schools receiving the highest number of votes being declared the winners on August 8. 

The first-place winners from both primary and secondary institutions will receive $100,000, the second-place winners will receive $50,000, and the third-place winners will receive $25,000. 

Digicel and its foundation arm, the Jamaica National (JN) Group and Junior Optimist International Caribbean District are all partners in the initiative. 

The Ministry of Education and Youth said it recognises the empowerment that this offers to students as they continue their transformation from caterpillars to butterflies. 

“We encourage school leaders to sensitise and guide the students who wish to participate,” the ministry indicated.