Learners won a record 14 gold, 11 silver and 24 bronze medals, together with a total of 34 merit awards, at the Regional Final Eskom Expo held at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 this year.
More than 172 learners from Grades 4-12 brought science projects to the two District Expos, and the Regional Final Expo held at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网’s Great Hall on 3 August 2019.
This prestigious science fair is the only international science fair that affords learners the opportunity to enter a project to exhibit their own scientific investigation. The project aims to inspire and develop young scientists who are able to identify a problem, analyse information, find solutions and communicate findings effectively.
Learners must first enter a project into one of 32 Regional Finals held between July and September, then a select few are chosen to participate at the International Science Fair held in Johannesburg between 24 and 25 September.
The Grahamstown Region of the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists was planned and implemented by Scifest Africa and sponsored by various local companies and organisations including Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网, Carara Agro Processing, CES, NRF|SAIAB, Pick ‘n Pay, WESSA, ABM Office National, Dupli-Print & Signs Un-ltd, Spur Steak Ranches and the Grahamstown Foundation.
All of the Victoria Girls' High School (VGHS) submitted projects received prizes, many gold, and the large majority of Nkwanca High School, Nombulelo Senior Secondary School and Ntsika Senior Secondary School’s submissions received prizes.
The top project for this Expo was on "Vegan Leather" by Nicola Kroese from VGHS. Bursaries for one year’s tuition at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网 were won by Nicola Kroese, Carissa Henning, Jeandre van Niekerk, Claude Hilpert, Bridget Emslie and Tosca Soloff.
The Grahamstown District and Regional Finals is a close collaboration between Eskom, Scifest Africa and staff from local schools and Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网. This team work has encouraged many learners from Grahamstown and district, and from as far away as Komani, to become interested in Science.
“Thank you all for participating,” said Joyce Sewry, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Science at Rhodes 老虎机游戏_pt老虎机-平台*官网. “Our country can only do better with people so invested and interested in science.”