Keetmanshoop
Learners from different schools in //Kharas gathered at Keetmanshop yesterday to participate in the annual //Kharas regional science fair.
One hundred and thirty-two projects will be displayed by about 150 learners from 22 schools, and participants will battle it out for collective and individual prizes in different categories.
Top performers in the junior and senior primary phase, and junior and senior secondary phase, will walk away with gold medals.
Awards will also go to the top Grade 12 project, junior and senior primary project with the most potential, and junior and senior secondary project with the most potential.
Schools will also contest the top government and top private school award and all winning projects will be announced today.
Contrary to popular belief in terms of female participation in the science field, there are 14 more girls than boys represented at this year’s fair.
Different projects are on display – such as hydroelectric power, bio-fuel, mechanical engineering, effects of alcohol on the liver and effects of acid rain on flora, among others.
One of the participants Paulus Kalenga, who is a Grade 9 learner at Karasburg Combined School, showed off his plasma electrical generator that he says can generate electricity by mixing potassium hydroxide and lemonade in a 500ml cool drink container.
He says the amount of electricity produced depends on the amount of the solution, the size of the container where the reaction takes place and the distance between the electrodes.
“The electricity is usable and if you can create a bigger one you can generate electricity for a community,” he said looking at his project.
Thirteen-year-old Paulus Eiman, a Grade 7 learner at Don Bosco Primary School, designed an electrical house that uses a remote control to close and open its doors and windows, powered by a cellphone battery.
One of the judges and organiser, Zony Swartz, was excited about the fair. She said the top 20 winners will go on to present the region in the nationals scheduled for September 7, and each will receive vouchers to upgrade their projects based on the recommendations of the judges.
The science fair is once again sponsored by Skorpion Zinc Mine.