Back in July, Kwakwani Secondary School made a clean sweep of the Boys’ and Girls’ Under-18 National Schools’ Basketball Festival (NSBF) titles, in addition to winning the Under-14 Boys’ competition.
Aside from the allotted prize monies for the school, the three basketball teams out of Region 10 were given another reward, being treated to dinner and a tour of Georgetown, ExxonMobil’s Kingston Head Office, and the National Museum, all compliments of ExxonMobil, the tournament’s title sponsor.
ExxonMobil’s Community Relations Advisor, Ryan Hoppie, during the tour of the company’s office, shared a little bit about the rationale behind the initiative.
“So earlier in the year, we started out with the Linden U18 football champions, and what we’re trying to do is ensure that outside of the tournament, the young people that are taking part in these initiatives, these competitions, have an experience that allows them to understand a little bit more about what we do as a company,” Hoppie explained.
Community Relations Advisor Ryan Hoppie engaging the young basketball players from Kwakwani at the Company’s Head Office.
He added, “The rationale behind it is really starting that conversation about what’s happening in the industry, our operations, and I would say opening doors, windows and a peek into what we do as a company. So that young people can dream, they can think beyond just sport, what are some of the things available to them, once they stay in school and they do well.”
Of course, Kwakwani Secondary are not the first to receive the royal treatment, with Waramuri Primary Top and Bartica Secondary, winners of the Girls’ and Boys’ U14 tournaments respectively, benefitting from a similar exercise one month prior.
A few of the students perusing an exhibit at the National Museum
Hoppie noted that it can be seen as a way to motivate the young sportsmen and women to work harder at their craft.
The ExxonMobil Community Relations Advisor divulged, “Being able to go to the National Museum; being able to take part in the immersive experience with the oil and gas exhibition; and then just some social time, heading over to Hard Rock and having lunch or dinner, and just enjoying your favourite meal, sometimes things that are new to you as well; it’s just really looking at a holistic experience.
“And what we’re trying to do is help our young people understand that when you work hard and you put in the effort, that there are opportunities available. And so, they can dream and they can be really motivated to work harder,” he further related to this publication.
Thus far for 2023, ExxonMobil has powered the Linden U18 Schools’ Football tournament, the Under 14 Boys’ and Girls’ Football tournament in collaboration with Petra Organization, and the National Schools’ Basketball Festival; and has rewarded all its champions in a similar way.
