It's even cooler to be clever this year!

Sunday 25 September 2016

A record number of schools have signed up to show it's cool to be clever and pit their wits against each other in the tenth De Putron Challenge.

There will be 31 schools in Jersey and 20 in Guernsey competing in the event in November with students being fired questions on topics ranging from sport to science, art to history.

The event will feature three separate contests for different school year groups (Year 6, Year 8 and Post-16) and will see Channel Television presenter John Fernandez making his debut as quizmaster, stepping into the shoes of his colleague Rob Moore who spent six years in the role.

As well as the more conventional general knowledge rounds, the students will also face a picture and video round designed for teammates to work together to come up with the answers.

The Guernsey De Putron Challenge is on first on Thursday 10 November at St James Concert and Assembly Hall and the Jersey Challenge, now in its seventh year, is a week later on Thursday 17 November at the Radisson Blu Hotel.

The inter-island final will see the winning teams from the Year 6, Year 8 and Post-16 competition from each island going on to compete against one another on Thursday 24 November at the OGH Hotel in Guernsey for the chance to win the even more prestigious Inter-Island titles.

Last year’s De Putron Challenge saw the team from Elizabeth College Junior School claim the Year 6 trophy in Guernsey, Elizabeth College win the Post-16 Guernsey and Inter-Island trophies, followed closely by Jersey winner Hautlieu.

In Jersey, the Year 6 competition was won by St Martin’s School and the Year 8 competition was won by St Michael’s Preparatory School who claimed both the local and Inter-Island trophies. The Ladies’ College won the Year 8 title in Guernsey.

Hayley de Putron, a trustee of the Ana Leaf Foundation and founder of the De Putron Challenge said: "The principal aim of the De Putron Challenge is to engage with the Island’s youth in a way that is both educational and fun and show that it is cool to be clever.

"It is great to see a record turnout of schools competing to mark its 10^th anniversary. The De Putron Challenge really highlights how smart Channel Island children are and demonstrates how academic prowess is something to be celebrated at any age.”

All participants taking part in this year’s events will be presented with a gift to commemorate the De Putron Challenge’s 10^th anniversary.

Spectators, families and friends of teams are encouraged to go along to cheer on the teams but for those who can't make it, the inter-Island final will be streamed live.

You can keep up-to-date with the De Putron Challenge here.