25 advance to Patriotic Song semis

Held by the Ministry of Education and Patriotic Organisation of TT, the contest offers a firstplace prize of $40,000, plus $10,000 to the winner’s school.

The 25 semifinalists will next do battle at the same venue next week Wednesday at 10 am, at which the field will be further narrowed down to some 15 finalists to compete at the finals at the National Academy for the Performing Arts (NAPA), San Fernando on September 20. Yesterday’s Preliminaries were topped by Desle Julian of St Mary’s College singing Patriotic and Strong (252 points).

Coming second was Jonathon Simon of Barataria Anglican Primary School whose My Senses Tell Me earned him 250 points. Third place was copped by COSTAAT’s Kerine Williams- Figaro with 241 points singing “I Love You, Trinbago!”.

The rest of the ten top contestants are Sasha-Ann Moses (fourth) of the University of the West Indies (UWI) with Show Your Patriotism; Shervonne Rodney of Arima Central Secondary (fifth) singing You’re Mine; Suraj Ramdass-Singh (sixth) singing a chutney-styled Land of Paradise; Nickyle Briggs (seventh) of Sangre Grande SDA overcoming stage-fright to offer The First Time; Duane O’Connor Junior (eighth) of St Mary’s College singing This is my Hope; and two joint ninth-placed contestants - Jerod Griffith of Presentation College, Chaguanas, singing The Only Place To Be and Rivaldo London of Iere High School singing Together Forever.