De Putron Challenge Returns With a Virtual Twist
The biggest school quiz in the Channel Islands is back this autumn – but in a virtual fashion.
The De Putron Challenge celebrates the brightest young minds in Jersey and Guernsey and this year there is a new format due to the uncertainty caused by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
This year the challenge will be for year 6 and 8 students and will take place over the course of three weeks. Three challenges will be set, with each taking around one hour to complete. Students will have five days to complete each challenge with their classmates, in smaller teams or individually.
The theme of the event is “Dear Future” – testing students’ knowledge across three challenges: Power of Knowledge (geography, science and environment), Rise of the Robots (technology) and Reinventing the Wheel (innovation).
The De Putron Challenge is supported by the Ana Leaf Foundation and is an annual inter-school quiz which has seen continued growth since the first challenge in 2007.
“The De Putron Challenge has been growing since 2007 and we wanted to continue with the event despite the challenging year we’ve all faced. We may not be meeting together physically this year but there’s no limit to how we can champion young people’s clever minds and we’re thankful to go ahead in a virtual format instead.”
Hayley de Putron, a trustee of the Ana Leaf Foundation and founder of the De Putron Challenge
The first challenge kicks off on the 16th November and is an online quiz with three rounds: geography, science and the environment where the students’ general knowledge on these topics will be tested.
The 23rd November will launch the technology challenge, Rise of the Robots, set by Jersey Coders’ Colin King. This round will see students coding an online robot to complete a maze.
The final challenge goes live on the 30th November where students will be ‘reinventing the wheel’ and coming up with an innovative product to improve the Channel Islands or solve a local issue which will then be judged by Lucy Kirby, Director of the Digital Greenhouse in Guernsey and Gary Burgess, ITV journalist.
“More than ever it is crucial to engage young students and provide opportunities to see them thrive and celebrate intelligence and creativity. We hope that by holding the De Putron Challenge this year, even though it will be virtually, we will still provide students with the competitive feel as they strive to achieve the best they can for their schools and for themselves,” said Mrs de Putron.
Each round will be judged independently with winners across both islands announced on 20 November, 4 December and 11 December. The schools that complete all three challenges will be given book vouchers and cash prizes will be awarded to first, second and third place for each challenge.
As the challenge is virtual, there will also be an opportunity for everyone to test themselves against the Channel Island’s brightest minds!
