By Selma Neshiko
WINDHOEK– St George’s Diocesan School and St Paul’s College received awards as the best overall schools with the best science fair projects at the 26th Khomas Regional Science Fair (KRSF) last week.
More than 300 learners from both primary and secondary schools in Windhoek participated in this year’s KRSF which was held at Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW). Learners exhibited their projects, which were judged according to various categories such as Animal Science, Chemistry, Engineering and Architecture, Energy and Electricity, Environmental Science, Food Science and Food Technology, Human, Medical and Health Sciences, Information and Communication Technology, Mathematics and Statistics, Physical Science, Astronomy and Space Science as well as Plant Science.Through participating in the fairs, pupils discover how local materials can be used for everyday science applications.
Atushe Mubonenwa, a 13-year-old learner from Suiderhof Primary School who was also one of the bronze medal winners, exhibited a project on tooth decay, cavity and teeth whitening because she wants to become a toxicologist one day. “My project idea is very useful to people because it whitens teeth and it also can prevent your teeth from staining, having cavities and tooth decay. I used the roots of shrubs (Oshimumu) used widely among the Oshiwambo people to clean their teeth’s and did an experiment on how to maintain the natural whiteness of the teeth and keep general oral hygiene,” says Mubonenwa.
She adds that she found the science fair useful because she has learnt a lot and her fellow learners came up with amazing ideas. “I’ve learnt so much from doing my project like learning how to contact a survey, approaching people without waiting for them to talk to me first and I now have improved on my communication skills.”
Kevin Wessels, a Grade 11 learner from Jan Möhr Secondary School who was one of the silver medals winners says it took him three months to complete his project called Easein plastic, a project which he made plastic from milk. “I found a new way to make plastic, something nature friendly. If we invade it, it’s something to look forward to,” says Wessels
Another pupil Melissa Weck, a Grade Four learner from St George’s Diocesan School who walked away with a gold medal, project is about easier ways for people in rural areas to filter their water. “The newspaper is filled with children dying because of dirty water, so I thought I can make a difference by coming up with ways on how to filter the water, to be responsible and identify which water is safe to drink and which is not. I’ve learnt so much when conducting my project as well as from my fellow learners,” says Weck.
The science fair aims to provide a real-life experience for learners and to give them an opportunity to engage in the subject in a practical way that is not always possible in the classroom, and to increase learners’ interest in Science.
Cash prizes were given to the learners who displayed the most spectacular and thought-provoking ideas. The 20 best selected projects at the KRSF will represent Khomas at the national science fair.