Four students from Tonga’s Liahona High School were recognized recently for their participation in a national quiz competition focused on environmental issues.
The students, all members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, competed against students from other Tongan schools.
The Liahona team finished the competition unbeaten and are now heading to Fiji to take part in a regional event where they will discuss climate and other environmental issues with students from across the Pacific.
The European Union and AusAid sponsored the two-week workshop in Tonga that was hosted by The University of South Pacific Tonga.
The four student-team are: Carolyn Ita’aehau (Form 6), Talafaiva Poteki (Form 7), Elizabeth Ramsey (Form 6), Gabriel Manarangi (Form 7). Their teacher and coach is Mele Funaki.
Team members related how the morning of the final day of the competition their van had a flat tire. “No-one knew how to change the tire,” Liahona Vice-Principal Kahealani Nau said, “but the team pulled together to figure out the task.”
“The Liahona Team were both surprised and humbled by the results of their efforts during the forum,” said Nau.