Young stars shine at Children’s Mash

Young performers took centre stage last week during Children’s Mashramani celebrations, culminating in national competitions and a colourful road parade under this year’s theme: “Little Builders of One Guyana: Learning Together, Shaping a Digital Tomorrow.”

The festivities began at the National Cultural Centre, where finalists from across the country competed in calypso, dramatic poetry, dance, and hip-hop. Performances featured socially conscious lyrics, expressive storytelling, and high-energy choreography, with students advancing from regional rounds to vie for national honours.

In the calypso competition, participants delivered compositions reflecting patriotism, social awareness, and national development. Dramatic poetry entrants captivated audiences with storytelling, while dance and hip-hop groups impressed judges with creativity, timing, and stage presence.

The events were organised by the Ministry of Education through its Unit of Allied Arts, which uses Mashramani as a platform to nurture artistic talent and cultural appreciation in schools. Judges evaluated performances on originality, execution, interpretation of the theme, and overall presentation.

The celebrations concluded with a Children’s Road Parade through Georgetown on Saturday, where nursery, primary, and secondary school bands turned the streets into a moving spectacle of colour and culture. Costumes reflected the national theme, highlighting unity, education, innovation, and technological advancement.

Together, the competitions and parade highlighted the depth of young talent across Guyana and demonstrated how cultural education is shaping confident, forward-thinking citizens ahead of the nation’s Republic Day celebrations.