St Mary’s RC walks away with 2015 National Science and Technology Fair grand prize

The St Mary’s Roman Catholic School has again been adjudged the overall winner in the National Science and Technology Fair, ahead of 28 other schools that participated.

The school submitted 66 projects in the 2015 Fair, which was held under the theme “Scientific and Technological Literacy: an Imperative{{more}}for a green Vincentian Society in the 21st Century.”

Speaking at the awards ceremony at the Methodist Church Hall last Friday, president of the St Vincent and the Grenadines Science Teachers Association (SVGSTA), Juanita Hunte-King told participants that the promotion of the fair led to increased numbers in participation.

“I credit this to the fair’s promotion events and a general greater interest on the part of all to answer the call of science. When I compare the statistics of the 2013 fair with our 2015 fair, there is a noted improvement in participation.”

“Last year (2013), 12 primary schools and a disappointing five secondary schools participated. This year (2015) the schools answered the call for greater participation and we saw 18 primary schools and 11 secondary schools participating,” Hunte-King stated.

She expressed her pleasure with the increase in the number of participants and hoped that the trend continues with the 2016 Science Fair.

“We are so pleased with how the schools have responded to our call and we feel emboldened to make another request for our next fair. This call will be with regard to the quality of projects entered into the competition.”

Hunte-King noted that the primary schools dominated both the visual and sometimes verbal presentations.

Education officer for science Amaala Muhammad congratulated the participants on their performance and their increased participation in the science fair.

She said that the theme focused on going green, because “we wanted to heighten the awareness of St Vincent and the Grenadines going green.

“We saw for this year we had a number of projects in the environmental science category. They were mainly on alternative sources of energy and cleaning up the environment,” Muhammad said.

Communications officer of VINLEC Tamara Job-Sprott noted that VINLEC’s donation of $50,000 to the science fair was seen an investment.

“We have made contributions to a number of projects and we think that it is important that we invest in science and technology, as you would recognize science and technology is the base for everything…almost everything we do in life, there is some scientific base.”

Sprott also noted that her company was delighted to see many of the projects dealing with energy, in particular renewable energy.

“As you know, the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines and VINLEC … are engaging in a number of renewable energy projects, as we try to move the country forward…,so we are happy that the children have recognized that renewable energy is an important focus.”

Chief education officer Lou-Anne Gilchrist stated that while literacy of math and English is important, so too is the literacy of science.

“Events such as the national science fair are designed to give you an opportunity to expose to the public the skills which you have learned at school.”

Expressing her delight with the participation of schools from the Grenadine islands, Gilchrist noted that this is showing inclusive education, which is one of the mandates of Ministry of Education.

“We want no child to be left behind, whatever that child’s abilities are, that child must be included…we want to practise to a greater extent inclusive education. Each child’s type of education must be taken into account; each child’s skills must be taken into account and must be enhanced and developed.”

The St Vincent Girls’ High School placed first at the secondary level, while the St Mary’s Roman Catholic School placed first at the primary level.

The most outstanding primary school pupil and overall science fair project went to Zane Edwards of the St Mary’s Roman Catholic School, with his ‘Geothermal Plant’. He received a trophy, along with a $300 gift voucher.

The most outstanding secondary school project was won by Joshua Prescott of the St Martin’s Secondary School, with his project ‘Vincy Go’. He received a trophy, along with a $300 gift voucher. (CM)