Vodafone Icons unveils high school edition

Accra, Sept. 3, GNA - Vodafone Ghana, the telecom operator, has launched the fifth edition of the Vodafone Icons in Accra dubbed: 'The High School Edition.'

The Vodafone Icons initiative intends to empower the youth by given them the platform to exhibit their music talent.

Mrs Agnes Emefa-Esaah, Marketing Director, Vodafone Ghana, explained that the High School Edition was introduced to rejuvenate and promote music as an integral part of activities in the senior high schools (SHS).

She said the project also falls in line with the vision of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to provide relevant and holistic education that would enable students acquire skills to assist them in developing their potential.

'It is a unique concept that will serve to revive the passion and commitment that used to characterise music at the secondary school level in Ghana. Musical acts such as Ben Brako, Joyful Way Incorporated, Wuta, Tic-tac, Buk-Bak and others all discovered their epiphany at the secondary level and went on to become national treasures. This is what we want to portray with this new Icons edition,' she said.

She said the country would be divided into the northern, middle and southern zones for the audition which would be held very soon to give SHS in every region the opportunity to participate.

Mrs Emefa-Esaah explained that successful high school bands at the auditions stage would undergo further grooming by the judges, professional voice coaches and choreographers and would compete against each other for the ultimate prize.

'Vodafone will create a music studio with a complete band set, laptops with audio editing software for music production, and powered with Vodafone's fibre connectivity for the winning band as well as representing Ghana at the global high school musical contest organised by Vodafone in Turkey; and each member of the band will also receive an educational scholarship,' she said.

She said there would also be consolation prizes for the nine finalists and each school would receive a PA system, shopping vouchers, mobile phones, tablets and Vodafone souvenirs/hampers.

She therefore urged all SHS in the country to look forward to the auditions with delight and aspire to become winners.

Mr Freeman Aguri, Director of Cultural Education at GES commended Vodafone Ghana for initiative, saying it would revive the passion and commitment that used to characterise music at the secondary school level.

He said the GES would be providing technical guidance as partners to ensure that rehearsals are not held during the normal contact hours, as well as ensuring that participating students are not exposed to any immoral act.

He urged all schools to take part in the exercise and appealed to Vodafone to extend such initiative to the junior high schools.

GNA