Christian Methodist wins West Hills Mall’s Old skuul challenge

Christian Methodist Senior High School shrugged off intense competition from top schools in Ghana to become winners of West Hills Mall’s Old Skuul Challenge, running off with the Ghc30,000 prize money set aside for the school whose old students did the most shopping at the mall.

Accra Academy Senior High, another Accra-based school and Cape Coast’s Ghana National College were runners up, coming second and third in the exciting promotion designed by the West Hills Mall Management to support development projects in schools with the highest number of adult patrons. Accra Academy and Ghana National College received Ghc 20,000 and Ghc 10,000 respectively.

The three-month long Old Skuul Challenge promotion was launched in September and closed in November last year attracting participation from ‘Old Boys’ from more than a hundred secondary schools, including popular Category ‘A’ schools like Achimota School, Mfantsipim College and St. Augustine’s College.

Campaign officials say they find the outcome rather surprising as Achimota, Mfantsipim and Wesley Girls High School were the first batch of schools which shot into the lead in the very early days of the competition.

The age-old inter-schools rivalry was very much alive for most of the three months of the competition, although in this case, the schools themselves had little or nothing to do in the contest, because participation simply had to do with the shopping habits of old students who had left school several years ago.

“It was clearly the handsome cash prize donations for school development projects which turned the competition into such a fierce battle among the ‘Old Boys’ and their alma maters. It was indeed a delight to see some very old senior citizens who must have left school over 40 years ago, fervently making entries to ensure victory for their alma maters,” said Mr. Kobby Ampong, acting marketing manager at West Hills Mall.

At a cheque presentation ceremony at the mall on Monday, Mr. Ampong said the completion was inspired by West Hills Mall’s commitment to corporate social responsibility to schools, as well as its appreciation for the loyal patronage of ‘Old Boys’.

“We are most impressed by the ardent participation of more than 100 schools in this exciting competition and sincerely hope that the prize monies won by the three victorious schools will go to support the various ongoing development projects in their respective schools,” said Ampong.

Mr. Titus Adama, an administrator at Christian Methodist Senior High School, after receiving the cheque for Ghc30,000.00 on behalf of the Headmaster, disclosed that the money would be invested in a new washroom facility and a basketball court for students whilst the school official from Accra Academy said the prize money of Ghc20,000.00 would be used to support a Science Laboratory project started by the Old Boys themselves.

The Assistant Headmaster of Ghana National College Mr. Steven Bediako Sekyi drew laughter when, after receiving the Ghc10,000.00 cheque, he confessed that the school administration (in Cape Coast) had practically no idea that the school’s old students “had gone into battle” for the school in Accra.

“So we were all shocked and surprised when West Hills Mall called us last week and said Ghana National had placed third in the Old Skuul Challenge competition and that we should pick up our prize money of Ghc10,000.00”.

Located at Dunkonah, near Weija, off the Accra-Winneba Highway, West Hills Mall, is Accra’s biggest and most enchanting family shopping centre and has the reputation of regularly rewarding its customers and patrons with exciting promotions and give aways such as the Old Skuul Challenge competition.