𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐢 𝐘𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐥 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞

…𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏, 𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒛𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 𝑰𝑻𝒁𝑨 𝒊𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒅 𝑭𝒖𝒏𝒅 (𝑾𝑾𝑭), 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒘 63,000 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒊𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 97 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔

By Susmika Subba

In a remarkable achievement, fifth-grade students Pema Choda Jamtsho and Phuntsho Choden from Trashi Yangtse Primary School clinched the third position in the highly acclaimed Wild Wisdom Global Challenge 2023. The international competition, jointly organized by ITZA and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), witnessed participation from 63,000 students across 97 countries on November 7.

The Wild Wisdom Global Challenge, an initiative by WWF, seeks to engage young minds in environmental conservation and biodiversity awareness. This year’s competition, themed around journeys related to the WWF Global Challenge, emerged as a pivotal platform for students worldwide to showcase their dedication to conservation and environmental knowledge.

Facing fierce competition in the final round, the duo from Trashi Yangtse Primary School competed against teams from Belgium, Colombia, Cyprus, Hong Kong, and India. Despite the challenges, Pema Choda Jamtsho and Phuntsho Choden exhibited resilience, securing an impressive third place in the global challenge.

Tashi Phuntsho, the principal of Trashi Yangtse Primary School, expressed immense pride in the students’ achievement. He stated, “This is a great accomplishment for the students and teachers. I am well aware of the global scale of this competition and proud of the dedication put forth by our students and teachers.”

Acknowledging the school’s consistent efforts, Principal Phuntsho added, “This marks the third consecutive year of our school’s participation, and with extra effort, I believe we can secure the first position in the future.”

The success is attributed to the dedication of the Nature-Birding club coordinators and around 200 student participants from grades 4, 5, and 6. The club played a pivotal role in enhancing students’ awareness of the natural world, preparing them for the global quiz challenge.

The school’s commitment to providing resources, including a well-equipped library, computers, and internet facilities, significantly contributed to achieving a top-three position in the global quiz. The teacher coordinator emphasized the collaborative effort, stating, “The curiosity of both teachers and students for lifelong learning coupled with collaboration worked magic here.”

Phuntsho Choden and Pema Choda Jamtsho shared their experiences and advice. Phuntsho Choden highlighted the challenges faced during the competition, emphasizing the effectiveness of reading slowly and understanding each question.

Pema Choda Jamtsho, expressing elation about their selection after three years of attempts, offered advice to fellow students, stating, “We can achieve anything in life if we believe in ourselves. Just as I used to affirm to myself that I would triumph in ITZA, and indeed, I did.”

The school’s success was further acknowledged on the national TV channel, motivating and boosting the confidence of both students and educators. With the spirit of continuous learning and collaboration, Trashi Yangtse Primary School has proven itself on the global stage, setting an example for academic excellence and environmental awareness.