Prizes,awards galore on Archbishop Valerian Okeke Science Competition (AVOSCO) Day… 

It was prizes and awards galore for various Archdiocesan secondary schools,their teachers and students who participated in this year’s(2023) Archbishop Valerian Okeke Science Competition (AVOSCO)which results were released at the Shanahan Auditorium on Wednesday. 

No fewer than 30 students inclusive of their teachers carted away various prizes and awards ranging from certificates,cash,laptops,printers and  huge whiteboards. The Archbishop who was physically present doled out the awards to the students and teachers.

On the Archdiocesan Junior Category of the competition,a student of the Queen of the Rosary College (QRC)Onitsha,miss Udoye Onyinye Cynthia clinched the 1st position with 80 percent score while miss Okeke Philips Martha Chinazaekpere of St Kizito Girls Secondary School,Umudioka,scored 79 percent to clinch the 2nd position.

The 3rd position was clinched by Akwazie Franklin Chuka of All Hallows Seminary,Onitsha with 78 percent score among other contestants in the Junior Category.

On the Senior Category, Archdiocesan level,Ezeoha Onyinye Emmanuella of St Patrick’s School,Ugwuagba Obosi took the 1st position with 66 percent score while the 2nd position was taken by Nnaemeka Mary-Jane Amarachi of Mater Amabilis Secondary School,Umuoji with 65 percent score.

The 3rd position was clinched by Elochukwu Chisimdi Basilia of the Queen of the Rosary College (QRC) Onitsha with 64 percent score.

Some of the teachers involved in the competition were categorised and also rewarded. In the Junior  Category,the names of the teachers were listed from 1st to 3rd positions and their names were given as,Anyoku Evans from Queen of the Rosary College (QRC) Onitsha,Solomon Nwoye from St Kizito Girls Secondary School, Umudioka and Ebosie John from All Hallows Seminary,Onitsha.

Teachers from the Senior Category who were also rewarded are Mrs Rita Obi from St Patrick’s Secondary School Ugwuagba Obosi,Mr Elochukwu Orji from Mater Amabilis Secondary School,Umuoji and Mozie Helen from Queen of the Rosary College (QRC) Onitsha.

The Queen of the Rosary College (QRC)Onitsha which was adjudged the overall best in junior Category carted away a huge whiteboard,laptops and other prizes while St Patrick’s Ugwuagba Obosi which was adjudged the overall best in senior category carted away same prizes as QRC.

The event which started with a thanksgiving mass,was presided over by Archbishop Valerian Okeke who was assisted by many priests including the Onitsha Archdiocesan Education Secretary Very Rev Fr Dr Paschal Onwugbenu.

In his remarks before doling out the prizes and awards, Archbishop Okeke said his major aim of giving the prizes and awards annually was to improve the knowledge and scientific skills of the students inorder to prepare them for academic excellence and their future endeavours.

According to the Archbishop,natural skills can be further developed by practice adding that a student may be intelligent but without constant practice,the student may not perform well. He urged the students to continue to work hard to reach their desired goals in life.

The Onitsha Archdiocesan Education Secretary Very Rev Fr Dr Paschal Onwugbenu in his remarks,expressed gratitude to the Archbishop for his encouragement  to the students and his visionary exploits in education.He also thanked the teachers and students for their interest and performance in the science competition.

Highlights on the ocassion are,a 70th birthday song for the Archbishop,cutting of his birthday cake,recitation of the Archbishop’s achievements and question and answer session to the Archbishop.