Energy filled the National Sports Hall as teams from 12 secondary schools across Guyana competed on Thursday for first place at the 3rd Guyana-Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix competition, the largest ever since its inception.
Paramakatoi Secondary, Abram Zuil Secondary and St. Rose’s High placed first in the Innovation and Creativity, Acceleration and Advanced categories respectively. This is the first year Paramakatoi, a school from Guyana’s hinterland region, competed.
The SBM Offshore Guyana initiative fosters Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) development and innovation. The event is supported by the country’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
SBM Offshore Guyana provides winning schools with equipment to enhance their science laboratory and facilitates travel to Monaco for them to compete in the international competition. Moreover, the skills the students acquire, support the development of careers needed to propel Guyana forward, especially in the oil and gas sector.
Six schools feature in SBM Offshore’s first Guyana-Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix | OilNOW
“Through the competition, we aspire to amplify the presence of STEM principles in schools, with the aim of making it fun and exciting,” SBM Offshore Guyana’s General Manager Martin Cheong said. “At SBM Offshore Guyana, our commitment to quality education goes beyond the mere hosting of a competition. We aim to leave a tangible impact on you, the participants, and further underscore the value of STEM.”
This point was also emphasized by SBM Offshore Guyana’s Local Content Lead, Garri Fraser. “Whether they choose careers in STEM or otherwise, it is also our intent to provide them with the opportunities to practice their analytical skills, which is vital for any discipline.”
Marti De Souza, Deputy Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Amerindian and Hinterland Development at the Ministry of Education said the opportunity to compete for cash prizes using mousetraps is significant.
“We have over 30 schools represented here, whether you come to view, you all have a lot to learn today… growing up in the hinterland community, the boys my age spent countless hours making cars out of matchboxes. We
did not have the opportunity like you have today,” he said.
Director of Culture at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, M.P. Suresh Singh said the ministry will continue to partner with the private sector to champion the cause and ensure that young people can benefit from opportunities such as this.
Allex Harte, a local winner from 2024 charged the students to continue to challenge themselves beyond the competition. “You have already gained something invaluable so keep the experience, the learning and the motivation and keep pushing forward.”
The Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix is held annually in the Principality of Monaco. Created under the High Patronage of His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco, the competition aims to promote Science and Engineering engagingly and entertainingly.
