NIHERST: Science Whizz 2003

To say that the 2003 instalment of the NIHERST/NGC Science Whizz Competition, was a success, would be an understatement. This year’s participants simply outdid themselves. There was dramatic flair everywhere. Over the last five years, the competition has been continuously evolving into the type of high calibre event that its creators had envisioned.

Related Links

Overview

The Science Whizz competition has its roots in the highly successful Science and Technology Festival, Sci-TechKnoFest, where some of the major attractions were the science shows presented by foreign science showmen. In these shows, the presenters introduced science and mathematical concepts in the most imaginative ways, incorporating exceptional showmanship. Science Whizz attempts to develop Trinidad and Tobago’s burgeoning performers.

This year, the response from the general public was overwhelming. One hundred and ten (110) juniors
(12-16 years) and sixteen seniors (17 years and over) entered the competition. Thirty-nine (39) participants were given the nod of approval to proceed to the Finals, which continued for two days. Schools from across the country were represented in the Finals.


ASJA Boys’ College, Charlieville	Barataria Senior Comprehensive
Barataria Boys R.C.	Bishop Anstey High School, East
Bishop’s High School, Tobago	Brazil High School
El Dorado Secondary	Holy Name Convent, Penal
Malabar Composite	Montrose Vedic
Metal Industries Company Ltd. (Training School)	Northgate College
Palo Seco Government Secondary	Pt. Fortin R.C.
Scarborough Secondary	St. Joseph’s Convent, St. Joseph

The judges were quite pleased with the improvement in the participants’ presentations within the two-week time frame of the preliminary screening and the Finals. In some cases, the improvements were so remarkable, that one could have hardly believed that it was the same, somewhat shy individuals who had graced the stage once before. The finalists were simply dynamic.

And if you thought that the action ended at the Finals, then you are sadly mistaken. At the prize giving function, which was held on Tuesday 03rd June 2003, the NIHERST/NGC National Science Centre resounded with the talent of these junior and senior science presenters. Indeed, several presenters may be deserving of the title of thespian, since the audience was simply blown away by their theatrical skills.

David Edmund of Scarborough Secondary assumed the persona of Dr. Edmund in his presentation on Digestion. “Abracadabra, Scoobie Doobie Doo” were the magic words, as Maria Ferdinand of St. Joseph’s Convent, St. Joseph, delighted the audience with her “Electrical Magic Tricks”. Margaret Charles, a teacher at Point Fortin R.C., had the more than enthusiastic audience “moving to the left and moving to the right” to a little ditty that she composed, which proved to be an exceptional tool for teaching “Multiplying and Dividing by Ten and Powers of Ten”. Amanda Roopchan, a student of Brazil High School, was the attorney-at-law who dared to put the Cumulative and Associative Laws on trial.

The competition is fully funded by the National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago (NGC), who awarded the winners with very handsome cash prizes. Dr. Cheryl Bennet and Mr. Clarence Mitchell, two members of the NGC Board, were on hand to distribute some of these prizes. Certificates of participation were also distributed to all finalists. Mrs. Claire Gomez-Miller of NGC, in her address to the audience, stated that her company was quite ecstatic about what they had witnessed and pledged their continued support of the competition.

Congratulations to all the winners and participants. We can hardly wait for Science Whizz 2004!