Reef Week was celebrated from April 24 to 30 under the theme “Save the Reef Today; Tomorrow Might be Too Late”. Activities started on Saturday, April 24, with the annual Lagoon Reef Eco Challenge while other activities included the Hol Chan Open Day at the Hol Chan office, where students were taught about Hol Chan and the ecosystems it protects.
Furthermore, Hol Chan hosted its yearly trivia competition where students from primary schools around Ambergris Caye were tested on their knowledge of the reserve and its associated ecosystem. At the end of the four rounds, Brittney Garbutt from New Horizon claimed first place while Brian Schweigler from Isla Bonita claimed second place and Jamie Aragon from Isla Bonita Elementary claimed third place. Lastly, the high school students participated in an essay competition on the importance, threats, and solutions of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve; the winner will be announced in next week’s paper.
Prizes for Trivia Competition:
1ST Place received: $200 from Belize Bank, $100 savings account from Atlantic Bank, 1 fishing rod and snorkel set from Captain Sharks, A set of Books on Belize’s history and the environment from Coral Reef Alliance.
2nd Place received: $100 from Caribeña Enterprises, 1 school bag with supplies and a football from Castillo’s Hardware, 1 snorkel set from Captain Sharks.
3rd Place received: 1 school bag filled with school supplies from Suya Tours.
Hol Chan would like to thank all the sponsors and participants for participating in our Reef Week activities and we look forward for their support in next year’s activities.
