Three days of SCIMATECH kicks off at Carnival Village
By Ryan Haas
Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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Various toys and tools created from recycled plastic bottles
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BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS - STUDENTS from primary and secondary schools across the island gathered Wednesday morning (May 7) for the launch of the first National Science, Mathematics and Technology [SCIMATECH] Fair in over six years.
Under the theme “Promoting National and Regional Development through Innovations in Science and Technology”, many of the teachers participating in SCIMATECH expressed hopes of bringing more scientific awareness into the lives of students as well as improving the lives of Kittitians and Nevisians.
One instructor accompanying his students to the event said he hoped “the projects done on the small scale here at SCIMATECH today will be able to be implemented on a larger scale and help the whole country in some way”.
Other teachers, such as Sandra Joseph of the Tyrell-Williams Primary School, said they were pleased to see the students actively involved in science, mathematics and technology.
“The students were really excited about SCIMATECH, especially after they saw the end results of their projects,” Joseph told SKNVibes.
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Students prepare their projects for judging at SCIMATECH
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“These are projects that they developed from classroom subjects, and then took the time to gather materials and build.”
The primary school students took a practical approach to this by recycling plastic bottles and newspapers into toys, air fresheners, flower vases and scooping tools, while the secondary school students took a more theoretical approach to conservation with projects such as “Reducing waste water through effective watering”.
Minister of Education Hon. Sam Condor officially began SCIMATECH with a brief speech in which he emphasised the importance of the fair as it relates to the Federation’s 25th Independence Anniversary.
“SCIMATECH shows how far our nation has come in this our Silver Jubilee…and it is clear to me that innovation is alive in our schools. This interest in science and technology can be sustained if the momentum created by SCIMATECH is continued,” he said.
~~Adz:Left~~Minister Condor said that no matter which school wins the competition they should all be considered champions for “participating and using critical thinking to develop projects that relate science to everyday life”.
The SCIMATECH projects will be judged and open to public viewing from 11:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. on May 7 and from 9:00 a.m.-5 p.m. on May 8 at Carnival Village in Basseterre. On Friday, May 9 there will be a closing ceremony and the distribution of prizes at 10:00 a.m.
Many of the students openly embraced this year’s SCIMATECH theme by building projects centered on preserving the environment and reducing the amount of resources a person uses.
