Adonten Senior High School, the underdogs, have proven they are more than ready to compete for the ultimate trophy after securing a coveted spot in the quarter-finals of the 2024 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ).

Adonten SHS’ journey has been nothing short of inspiring. After fighting their way back into this year’s competition from the regional level, they refused to bow out, outshining Yaa Asantewaa Girls’ SHS and Tolon SHS in the preliminary stage to earn their place in the one-eighth stage.

Their impressive momentum continued as they shrugged off fierce competition from seeded giants Kumasi Secondary Technical School, defying expectations and claiming a spot in the quarter-finals.

Many had anticipated a comfortable win for Kumasi Sec. Tech, but Adonten SHS had other plans, delivering a masterclass of resilience and intellectual prowess.

West Africa SHS, who narrowly secured their spot in the one-eighth stage after they were thrashed in the preliminary contest by Mfantsiman Girls SHS could not sustain their momentum either.

From the onset, Adonten SHS dominated the contest, racking up an impressive 17 points in the first round, with West Africa SHS trailing at 15 points and Kumasi Sec. Tech struggling with just 6 points.

The second round saw a neck-and-neck battle between Adonten SHS and West Africa SHS, with only a two-point gap between them, while Kumasi Sec. Tech continued to fall behind.

The atmosphere was electrifying as supporters cheered passionately, but Adonten’s unwavering focus and brilliance kept them in control.

In the third and fourth rounds, Adonten SHS surged ahead, showcasing their academic prowess. They sealed their dominance with a commanding 41 points by the end of the fourth round, leaving West Africa SHS and Kumasi Sec. Tech with 36 and 27 points, respectively.

The final moments were a thrilling climax, with Adonten SHS cementing their victory by accumulating an outstanding 50 points. Their closest rivals, West Africa SHS and Kumasi Sec. Tech struggled to add any points to their scores, falling short of the mark needed to overtake the formidable Adonten team.

In what was expected to be a tense, evenly-matched showdown, Adonten SHS rose to the occasion and crushed all doubts, eliminating the seeded Kumasi Sec. Tech School.

Their inspiring journey from the regional stages to the quarter-finals proves that they are not to be underestimated. Adonten SHS now marches confidently toward the quarter-finals, ready to continue their remarkable run in the national championship race.

The 2024 National Science and Maths Quiz is produced by Primetime Limited and sponsored by the Ghana Education Service in partnership with GOIL PLC and supported by Pepsodent, Jupay, and Prudential Life Insurance Ghana.

The broadcast of the National Science & Maths Quiz on JoyNews is supported by NASCO, VitaMilk, Virtual Security Africa, Ace Medical Insurance, Built Financial Technologies, DBS Roofing, Sintex Tanks, Family Health Medical School,  Chopbox Technologies and Action Secondary Technical School.

Yaa Asantewaa Girls Senior High School (YAGSHS) has once again faced a tough defeat in the National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ) 2024, failing to qualify for the one-eighth stage of the competition.

The girls, who have not been seeded in the past 10 years, came close but could not reclaim their past glory.

The contest started with a nail-biting first round, where YAGSHS trailed Adonten SHS by just a single point 14 to 15. It seemed like anyone’s game, with both schools neck-and-neck.

However, as the rounds progressed, Adonten SHS pulled away, widening the gap and leaving YAGSHS unable to catch up.

By the final buzzer, Adonten SHS secured their qualification with 48 points, leaving YAGSHS and Tolon SHS out of the competition.

YAGSHS, whose last seeding was in 2014, had high hopes of making a comeback this year, but the gap proved too wide to bridge. Despite their fierce effort, it was not to be for the girls this time around.

However, all hope is not lost for the warriors of Yaa Asantewaa. There is still a possibility that they may proceed to the one-eighth stage, depending on their standing in the top runners-up ranking at the end of the day’s contests.

The final ranking will determine whether YAGSHS can move forward as one of the top runners-up and keep their NSMQ dreams alive.

For now, Yaa Asantewaa Girls SHS and their supporters wait anxiously for the final results, hoping their performance is enough to secure them a second chance in the competition.

The Fiesta Royale Hotel buzzed with excitement as Adonten Senior High School emerged as the overall winner of the 2023 National Business Pitch Competition at an Awards and Dinner Gala organized by Junior Achievement (JA) Ghana.

Their groundbreaking startup, PELB Company, secured the prestigious title with its innovative solution: portable electronic lunch bags capable of heating or warming cold food.

Orielly Senior High School from Accra and St. Francis Girls Senior High School from Jirapa (Upper West Region) claimed the first and second runner-up positions, respectively. Orielly impressed the judges with their ZestyBlends tea company, renowned for crafting lemongrass-based teas. St. Francis Girls made their mark with B&B Plastics Company Limited, a venture dedicated to recycling plastic waste into moulded blocks, beads and other products to combat plastic pollution in the country.

The National Business Pitch Competition, JA Ghana’s version of the renowned international JA Company of the Year competitions, empowers students to collaborate with business-savvy volunteers, guided by their teachers, to launch businesses that provide innovative products and services addressing community needs or challenges. Student teams progress through local, national, and multinational levels, showcasing their products and services at trade fairs and presenting their businesses on stage before esteemed judges.

During the event, Rev John Ntim Fordjour, Deputy Minister for Education, emphasized the pivotal role of entrepreneurship education in addressing Ghana’s growing youth unemployment challenge. He lauded JA Ghana’s mission to bridge this gap and expressed his inspiration at the innovations presented by these high school entrepreneurs. He looked forward to a future where young Ghanaians would establish businesses and industries tackling pressing community issues and generating employment opportunities.

The event featured distinguished guests, including UN Resident Coordinator Charles Abani, Deputy CEO of the National Youth Authority Hon. Akosua Manu, JA Ghana Board Members, and senior executives and business leaders from diverse sectors, such as banking, aviation, hospitality, oil and gas, agribusiness, and youth policy. Notably, Her Excellency Samira Bawumia, the 2nd lady of Ghana, was recognized as a JA Ghana Alumni. Prudential Life Insurance Ghana was acknowledged as a cornerstone funder of JA Ghana. Guests were also treated to an electrifying performance by the award-winning Afropop singer-songwriter Adina.

Since the start of the year, students from 40 high schools have established and managed businesses through the JA Company Program designed for high school students. Fifteen schools earned the honour of competing in the National Competition.

In addition to the winning schools, participating institutions included Aburi Girls SHS, Archbishop Porter Girls SHS, Bolgatanga SHS, Ghana SHS – Koforidua, Keta SHS, Legacy Girls College, Northern School of Business, Tamale, Presbyterian Boys Secondary – Legon, Presbyterian Senior Tech. School – Adukrom, St. Thomas Aquinas SHS, Tarkwa SHS and Tema International School.

The competition encompassed four stages: Company Reports, Stage Pitches, Trade Booth and Board Room sessions, culminating in an exhilarating Awards ceremony.

Headline sponsors of the competition recognized student companies with exceptional qualities with special awards. Orielly Secondary School received the Project Management Institute Educational Foundation (PMIEF) Project Management Award, Tarkwa Senior High School earned the Tomorrow Foundation Future Tech-Innovation Award and Aburi Girls Senior High School secured the Boeing Public Choice Award for their promotional video, which garnered the highest number of votes on YouTube. Other sponsor awards included The Gold Fields Entrepreneurial Spirit Award (Keta Senior High), the Academic City Excellence in Teamwork Award (O’Reilly Senior High School) and the Databank Foundation Social Impact Award (St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School).

Abeiku Greene, Executive Director at JA Ghana, commended the students for their dedication and ingenuity. He recognized them as architects of the future, visionaries, disruptors and pioneers with the power to reshape Ghana’s economy and society.

He reiterated JA Ghana’s mission to empower Ghanaian youth, enabling them to nurture entrepreneurial ideas, refine their skills and manage their earnings to secure better lives for themselves, their families and their communities. He appealed to Corporate Ghana to support the competition and play a crucial role in Ghana’s most influential youth skill development movement.

In addition to claiming the prestigious title of Company of the Year 2023 at the National Business Pitch Competition, Adonten Senior High School received a cash prize of GHS 15,000.00, valuable in-kind donations, including a Turf air-conditioner and the opportunity to represent Ghana at the JA Company of the Year Africa regional competition in Kigali, Rwanda, in December 2023. Success there could lead to the global Company of the Year competition with other continents and a chance to win JA Worldwide’s De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship Award, offering US $15,000, educational opportunities and more.

Old students of the Adonten Senior High School (Adonsco) in the Eastern Region have donated water reservoir to the school as part of their efforts to give back to their alma mater.

The donation by the 1989 Year Group of Adonsco, which included a polytank and other water storage facilities, was to reaffirm their commitment to the school and ameliorate the perennial water shortage that bedevils the institution during the dry season.

Handing over the facility to the school and explaining the motivation for the donation, the secretary for the group, Miss Mayfair Peggy Bonsu, said the executives of the association after visiting the school some months ago realised the school had challenges with adequate water supply.

She further revealed that even on few occasions where the tap flowed, students had to travel long distance to access them, a situation she said was affecting their academic performance.

“During our time, we had similar challenges but we also had boreholes which served as reservoirs during the dry season. As a result, we don’t want our students to suffer like we did,” she added.

The Assistant Head of the School in charge of domestic, Mrs Faustina Nyameasem Poku, thanked the old students for their kind gesture.

She said the water storage facility will go a long way to improve lives especially around the boys’ dormitory and called on other alumni of the school to come to their aid.  

Former Boys’ Prefect of the school and member of the 1989 group, Mr Emmanuel Safo Okyere, also hinted that the group will soon embark on other important projects in the school in pursuance of the motto of the school which says “brighten the corner where you are.”