The second annual Graduates Can Fly singing competition is set to kick off on Wednesday (May 31), marking the culmination of Child’s Month and this year, contestants can win from a prize pool valued at one million dollars.

Spearheaded by recording artiste and entrepreneur Jeffrey ‘Agent Sasco’ Campbell and internationally acclaimed speaker and author of If Caterpillars Can Fly, So Can I, Alvin Day, the competition aims to empower and reignite the innate creativity of young students as they embark on a new chapter in their academic journeys.

For this year’s edition of the competition, it has expanded to include both primary and secondary schools in Jamaica and raised the stakes by offering a cash and musical instruments prize package worth one million dollars.

To participate in the competition, schools are encouraged to video record their graduating students singing their rendition of the song, Caterpillars Can Fly by Agent Sasco and his daughter Lauren ‘The LC Show’ Campbell during their graduation exercises.

Once reviewed, the videos will be uploaded to social media platforms for public voting which commences on July 1 and concludes on July 15. The top three primary schools and three secondary schools with will be declared the winners on July 31.

Alvin Day said, “a major transformation takes place when a caterpillar leaves the vine or the bush, puts on wings and becomes a butterfly and has to take on the big, wide world.  Well guess what, a major transformation takes place when a child graduates from primary school to high school or from high school to college or into the corporate space and one of the things that can help with that dramatic transformation is music.”

Agent Sasco shared his hopes for the competition, stating, “If the participants can find in the words of the song what I found in the book, with its values and morals, then the winnings would be much more than any monetary prize we could ever provide.”

He further expressed his desire for participants to internalize the overall message of the content, which highlights that they are capable of achieving things they may not have even considered, likening them to caterpillars with the ability to fly.

Catherine’s Peak, a leading brand, has stepped forward as the main sponsor for the competition’s relaunch. The Ministry of Education and Youth, Digicel Foundation, JN Group, and The Music Mart have also joined as partners for this inspiring initiative.

In a bulletin addressed to all schools, the Ministry of Education and Youth acknowledged the opportunity this initiative presents for students as they transform from caterpillars into butterflies. They encourage school leaders to guide and support students who wish to participate.

The lyric video for the competition’s song can be found below:

The first, second, and third-place winners from both primary and secondary institutions will be awarded their prizes at a ceremony scheduled for August this year.

Looking ahead, the ‘Graduates Can Fly’ Singing Competition will feature a part two, which coincides with the release of the Caterpillars Can Fly EP, featuring various artists, set to launch next year. Additionally, a duet between LC and Tessanne Chin, accompanying the EP, is slated for release in November to coincide with National Youth Month in Jamaica. The competition organizers are also planning a TikTok Open Verse Challenge.

The competition and challenge aim to provide aspiring young singers with invaluable performance and recording opportunities. The participant with the most likes from the TikTok Open Verse Challenge will be considered for a chance to lend their voice to another track. This exciting opportunity is open to individuals worldwide.

Video submissions, with a maximum duration of three minutes, should be sent via email to [email protected].