On June 2, 2026, two leading Grenadian public agencies joined forces to celebrate environmental leadership among the nation’s student communities, hosting an awards ceremony at the iconic Kirani James Athletic Stadium to honor schools that excelled in maintaining clean spaces and responsible waste practices during their annual school sports events. The ceremony capped off the relaunch of the “Blaze the Track — Smash the Trash Competition”, a community-focused initiative built to embed environmental accountability among students, school staff, and sports spectators alike.
The decision to revive the decade-old program comes after growing concerns over post-event waste accumulation and damage to Grenada’s premier sporting infrastructure. First launched more than 10 years ago, the original initiative eventually faded without sustained institutional support. When recurring complaints about discarded litter left behind after school sports meets and other large-scale gatherings gained renewed attention, the Grenada National Stadium Authority (GNSA) moved to partner with the Grenada Solid Waste Management Authority (GSWMA) to bring the program back, with a shared goal of encouraging greater personal responsibility and proper waste disposal habits across all attendees of sporting events.
At the awards ceremony, Randall Robinson, Deputy Chairman of GNSA, opened official remarks by praising the proactive effort and commitment shown by every school that took part in the 2026 competition. “The success of this competition is a direct reflection of the commitment and leadership of our schools,” Robinson noted. “When principals, teachers, students, and supporters all work toward a shared goal, they don’t just create a cleaner, more positive environment for sports — they help instill lasting values of responsibility and respect for our national facilities that will deliver benefits to generations of Grenadians to come.”
Myrna Julien, Communications Manager at GSWMA, expanded on the far-reaching goals of the revived program, emphasizing that its impact extends far beyond keeping event venues tidy. “Blaze the Track — Smash the Trash is about more than just cleaning up after an event,” Julien explained. “It is about encouraging young people to build lifelong habits that support environmental responsibility, and helping them understand that every small action they take adds up to build a cleaner, healthier Grenada for everyone.”
Organizers noted that two local schools were unable to join the 2026 competition, as their annual sports events had already concluded before the revived initiative was officially announced. Despite this small setback, both GNSA and GSWMA expressed strong optimism that the number of participating schools will grow in future iterations of the competition, as more institutions have time to plan for participation.
Looking forward, the two agencies are already exploring opportunities to expand the collaborative model to other large-scale national events across Grenada, including the country’s world-famous Carnival celebrations, as part of broader island-wide efforts to embed environmental sustainability and proper waste management into all major public gatherings.
After rigorous evaluation by an independent judging panel, the top performing schools of the 2026 competition were officially announced: J W Fletcher Catholic Secondary School took home first place, with the award presented by GNSA Deputy Chairman Randall Robinson. Second place was awarded to Westmorland School, with the prize presented by GSWMA Communications Manager Myrna Julien, while third place went to Alpha Junior School, with GSWMA Education Officer Simone Doughlin-Welsh presenting the award.
In delivering the vote of thanks at the close of the ceremony, Doughlin-Welsh framed the revived competition as a meaningful and long-overdue update to a critical community initiative. She congratulated all participating schools for their widespread enthusiasm and dedication to the program’s goals, and extended gratitude to judges, event organizers, educators, students, and community stakeholders whose collaborative work made the 2026 launch a success.
“We are delighted to see the return of this initiative and the incredible enthusiasm shown by the participating schools,” Doughlin-Welsh said. “This competition proves just how much we can achieve when we empower students to take ownership of their public spaces, and we cannot wait to see even greater participation and broader impact in the years ahead.”
GNSA has reaffirmed its ongoing commitment to advancing responsible facility use, environmental sustainability, and community engagement across Grenada, through programs that strengthen the country’s beloved sporting culture while protecting its national infrastructure for future generations.