Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

The University of Belize is having their annual Earth Day celebration on Wednesday, April 30th.  Like always, they are having some competitions to celebrate the event.  All secondary and tertiary students can enter the video competition.  Videos must have the theme of environmentally friendly waste management practices.  UB students can enter the essay competition.  There will also be a bike race on the day of the event.

Congratulations, Kyla Cuervas, for winning first place in the  U.S. Embassy's Junior 'I Have A Dream for Belize' essay contest! 

In related news, tomorrow is the last day to nominate the Belize Woman of the Year.

"Congratulations to Ms. Kyla Cuervas from Our Lady of Guadaloupe High School in Belmopan for winning first place in the Junior 'I Have A Dream for Belize' Essay Contest!!!  On Wednesday, she and the other participants attended the U.S. Embassy's special award ceremony for all of the participants.  As a first prize winner, Kyla recevied a tablet computer device, a book of Dr. King's 'I Have a Dream' speech, and her essay will be published in the Amandala newspaper.  Belize has a bright future in its youth!!!"

The U.S. Embassy visited some Belmopan high schools, presented on MLK's 'I Have a Dream Speech,' and are doing a junior essay competition.  Don't forget that the 'I Have a Dream for Belize' essay competition ends on the 9th.  The winner gets a tablet, and has their essay published in the papers.

"On Monday, the Embassy's Public Affairs Officer, met with students from two different local high schools in Belmopan to discuss the significance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s, 'I Have a Dream Speech.'  The students will participate in a JUNIOR essay competition, much like the current essay competition we are offering to the Belizean public.  Just a reminder that submissions are due on February 9th.  That's just FOUR days away!!!"

Another great Eco Kid essay, this one from 8 year old Aadil Nu ‘Man.  There is still time to submit essays and get a scholarship to Chaa Creek's Eco Kids Summer Camp.

"Everyday I try to recycle, reuse, and reduce. Early in the morning I wake up, eat my breakfast.   Any left over food scraps like orange peels, vegetables, tea bags egg shells and rice I put it in a container. In the evening I take it out in the corner of my back yard and use it to fertilize my plants. When I get new clothes and toys I put one of my toys or clothes that I am not using in a bag. All our family members do this so when we have a lot we have a yard sale. If any is left then we give to the less fortunate neighbors and friends. When we come out of our rooms for a little while I turn of my lights instead of wasting electricity and letting the electricity bill come high."

Eco Kid essay of the day.  Johnathan Ludwig sent in this essay where he explains his love of plants.  Chaa Creek is accepting 300 word essays from kids that would like to do their Eco Kids Summer Camp.

"I have almost always wanted to grow something.  It did not matter what when I was younger I would plant a lot of seeds that I found.  I also would like going around and asking my mom if she could spare a carrot top or a potato’s eye or a sweet peppers seed.  I would plant everything that I got and I would check them every morning,  I would water the small plants but most all of my attempts failed.  I still want to grow plants.  Another thing is trees I mean if you look at a tree closely there are so many different ants and bugs on it and almost every single one has a home in that same tree."

Congratulations one last time to Elvis Usher for winning the 'I Have a Dream for Belize' essay competition.  Well done!  What an amazing essay.  Here's the essay as it was published.

"This week the Amandala featured Elvis Usher's, 'I Have A Dream for Belize' winning essay in the local paper.  Check it out here!"

Congratulations, Elvis Usher, for winning the 'I Have a Dream for Belize' essay competition!  From his essay: 'Tengo un sueno that one day one will be proud of their ethnicity without trespassing into ethnocentrism and paramount taking pride in their unique identity that is Belizean.'  Awesome!  It must have been hard to choose a winner.

"The U.S. Embassy is proud to announce that Mr. Elvis Usher is the winner of the "I Have a Dream for Belize" Essay Contest.  CONGRATULATIONS!!!  The second place winner is Mr. Javier Candelario Romero, and there was a tie for third place by Mr. Dale McDougall and Ms. Maryam Abdul.  We received over 50 submissions and ALL of them were very insightful.  We've compiled the quotes that stood out from all of the essay submissions and posted them below.  Belize has A LOT to be proud of, all of the dreams were inspiring!  Thanks to everyone who participated!"

The U.S. Embassy is hosting an essay competition in honor of the legacy of Martin Luther King and Black History month.  The theme is 'I Have a Dream for Belize,' the deadline for submission is February 9th, and the essay should be 300 words or less.  The first place winner will receive a tablet computer, and their essay will be published locally.  Belizeans between the ages of 16 and 30 are eligible to submit, and the email to send it to is belmopanpa@state.gov. 

"Tell us your dream for the people and future of Belize.  Submissions are due February 9, 2014."

Phillip Flores has a great essay on why he wants to be an Eco Kid.

"One of my great passions is watching the wonderful flower and the vegetation and the different aromas from the different plants.  I enjoy the wonderful views, watching the bees and butterflies picking on the flowers.   At the age of five, I had the opportunity to visit a cave at Che Chem Ha.  It was an experience that I have not forgotten. I started the journey to the cave by riding a mule.  After riding for about 100 yard, I fell off the mule and I had to continue the journey by foot. What a wonderful experience it was to see what our ancestors left behind – the pottery, their religious beliefs and the way they lived. Given the opportunity to attend this camp would give me the opportunity to increase my knowledge of their existence, culture and traditions."

Here's another great Eco Kid essay for Chaa Creek's Eco Kid Summer camp.  Nice essay, Rodeli Mendez.

"I want to start by saying that there are many ways to be an eco-kid, but one main reason why I want to be one.  I want to be an eco-kid, well, because I just love nature.  I always dreamed of being taught about my environment and how to protect it.  I ask myself questions about the environment and do observations and research on it.  I want to find out if roaches bite, what types of bugs live on plants, how many types of medicinal plants we have in Belize, and many more things about science and my environment.  When I am not reading fairy-tales, I am busy reading my father’s science books that he uses to teach with."