Abram Zuil Secondary School was labelled this year’s winner of the Sagicor Visionaries Nationals Final with its outstanding project titled ‘Paddy Husk Particle Board’.
The students of the Essequibo school were tasked to solve a problem affecting their school or community by developing effective, innovative and sustainable solutions using different models through Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).
They developed the ‘Paddy Husk Particle Board’, which utilises the paddy husk to make low cost, durable particle boards for construction applications.
The innovative project solves two problems. It reduces the smoke and air pollution caused by the burning of paddy husk, which has for affected residents of the community. And the particle board made from the paddy husk replaces high cost wood used in construction such as Crabwood and Silverballi.
In Region 2, rice cultivation sees an annual average production of some 30,000 tonnes of paddy husk as waste from mills. Approximately 80 per cent of this husk is burnt as a method of disposal. This combustion process of paddy husk releases large amounts of carbon dioxide, a well-known greenhouse gas into the atmosphere.
Over 70 entries were received from across the country. Abram Zuil Secondary was awarded the winning spot, while the Queen’s College’s ‘Amazing Algenol’ project was first runner-up and St Stanislaus College second runner-up with its ‘Detect-Alert & Re-use Economy Drainage’ (D.A.R.E.C.O.) project.
National Science Coordinator Petal Punalall-Jetoo told Stabroek News she was not surprised since the competition was very challenging with amazing projects, but Abram Zuil was very determined throughout the competition and she was pleased about the outcome. “Commitment leads to success,” Punalall-Jetoo said, and Abram Zuil was one of the many schools that were very committed with great team work in place.
Other schools that took part in the competition included Johanna Cecilia Secondary, Diamond Secondary, St Ignatius Secondary and St Roses High among many others.
Abram Zuil will go on to represent Guyana among other countries in Tampa, Florida July 2015.
