Roldan Larios, WARAYA Member

Contributor

A strenuous yet enjoyable and exciting Kusog Kabataan Challenge was spearheaded by Waray Waray Youth Advocates (WARAYA) for this year's celebration of the Catbalogan Young People's Day (CYPD) last August 21, 2008.

Kusog Kabataan Challenge (KKC) is a competitive race patterned after the popular reality show "The Amazing Race." Just like in the said show, KKC contestants have to decipher clues and perform outrageous tasks on their way to the finish line. Various landmarks around the city serving as pit stops also added to the educational fun that the competition is known for.

Now on its third year, KKC was incorporated with more thrilling and mentally challenging tasks to test of the participant's wit, stamina, endurance and even their appetite.

WARAYA President Mr. Dennis G. Cosmod first oriented the participants about the do's and don'ts of the race. When it officially started, the first task was to count the number of characters of the newly unveiled land mark of the first Charter Day Celebration. Another challenge involved solving a SUDOKU puzzle at Samar State University. At the City Bus Terminal, they were made to help a barker in calling for passengers.

The contestants also had to go to Maulong Church to find, then recite a mystery verse. In Imelda Park, they were asked to identify the significant events that were illustrated in the four sides of the obelisk that stands at the very heart of Imelda Park. If they were not able to so, a member of the group must eat a raw egg.

These were just some of the challenges that the 10 teams had to face before reaching the finish line. After a couple of hours of running all over Catbalogan, a group from St. Mary's College of Catbalogan emerged as the winners. The activity as a whole was successful and the organizers are looking forward to a more challenging Kusog Kabataan Challenge Year 4.