“While it’s a Regional Fair the magnitude in terms of excitement, crowd and anticipation, is like it’s a national fair,” says Loren Park, coordinator of this year’s Region Four Biennial Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics Fair.
According to a media release from the Region Four Public Relations Department (PRD), the two day fair organised by the Region’s Department of Education, in collaboration with the Regional Democratic Council, under the theme of ‘Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics paving the way for a green and sustainable society,” opens today at the Diamond Secondary School .
Education Officer Park confirmed that everything is in place for the eagerly anticipated fair which will see about 220 students from 47 schools, representing nursery, primary and secondary levels, in competition, the release stated. He disclosed that Diamond Secondary leads all schools with eleven entries, followed by Hope Secondary with six, and all the students, who are raring and ready to go, are excited to showcase their respective projects.
“Diamond Secondary over the years have been one that enters a number of entries into the fair, as it’s not a case that because they are the host, thus the high number of entries. They are always coming out in large numbers to the science fair,” Park was quoted as saying, in the PRD release, while adding, “We have Hope Secondary and Annandale Secondary following in terms of entries into the fair. What I can say is that Diamond Secondary will be seeking to retain the overall title that they won when the fair was last held in 2016, as the overall winner. However, from the entries that are being submitted I can assure patrons that the competition will be one that is very competitive and of a high standard.”
The Fair Coordinator pointed out that they have included the Arts this year, thus changing the name from STEM to STEAM, the statement said. Park noted that while the department was successful in securing trophies for the winners of all 27 categories, they wished to offer some more prizes, along with the trophies, as further motivation to the winners. Park, who hopes to secure more corporate sponsorship by the end of the fair, expressed his gratitude to all the individuals and companies who have so far provided support and assistance to ensure that this year’s fair will be a success.
Students of the Lower Secondary will be competing in Home Economics, Environmental Science, Agricultural Science, Social and Behavioural Change, Mathematics. In the Upper Secondary category they will be matching skills in Environmental Science, Integrated Science, Agricultural Science, Visual Arts, Home Economics, Mathematics, Industrial Technology, Information Technology, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology. In the Nursery Category they will compete in Craft, Environ-mental Science, Science and Mathematics, while in the Primary category the competitions will be in Mathematics, Craft and Visual Arts, Environmental Science and Science.
At the 2016 Region Four STEM Fair, Diamond Secondary took the first prize, President’s College occupied the runner-up spot and Annandale Primary placed third.
