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Spectacular science experiments, hair-raising demonstrations and awe-inspiring science shows
The annual science club competition by Advancing Knowledge Non-Profit Company (AK NPC) and Cape Winelands Education District was held on Thursday 19 September 2024. A total of 20 science clubs represented their schools consisting of 10 primary and 10 high schools. The competition was celebrating its 20th year since its establishment in 2004 and was hosted in the Main Hall of the Cape Winelands Education District, the same venue where the first competition was held.
The partnership between the science subject advisors of the Cape Winelands Education District and members of Advancing Knowledge NPC has been maintained and strengthened over the years. A number of participants from the early years of the science club competitions are now science teachers at the schools and proudly reflected and narrated their experiences to learners and fellow teachers.
At each school the science clubs are guided and championed by passionate science teachers and their principals who go the extra mile to ensure that teachers attend the AK NPC’s training offered for science club practitioners and that learners participate in the internal school science club programme leading to the annual AK NPC science competition. These efforts are directed at advancing learners’ interest, enthusiasm and willingness to want to learn the gateway subjects of science and mathematics. The competition was supported by Garden Cities Archway Foundation in their partnership with AK NPC.
At the Science Club Competition, learners from each science club took great pride in demonstrating their science experiments, investigations, exhibits, presentations, designs and activities to the judges. The competition allowed a maximum of ten learners per science club a total of 10 minutes to conduct their science activities while explaining the science concepts, process, theory and principles behind each presentation with due consideration of the safety requirements.
At the opening of the event, Mr Elbie Venter of Cape Winelands did the welcoming and science subject advisor Mr Ziyaad Moerat explained how important the competition had become for the district as this was one of the ways to attract more learners to the science and mathematics stream. He encouraged learners and teachers to make use of the opportunities offered by Advancing Knowledge NPC.
More than 200 learners accompanied by their science teachers took part in the event showcasing their science knowledge, skills, and expertise to the adjudicators. The various science clubs demonstrated colourful solutions, deafening explosions, bright chemical reactions, home-made technologies and awe-inspiring activities. There were loud bangs which kept the audience alert, single and multi-coloured flames, smoke, smells and burning substances professionally explained and expertly conducted within a safe environment.
Learners encouraged by their science teachers and fellow science club members expertly conducted their experiments to ensure that successful outcomes were reached as was part of their practice routine throughout the year. It seemed that the science club representatives were determined to make the judges’ task as difficult as possible as learners delivered their well-rehearsed and prepared regiment of interesting and creative science expositions much to the delight and awe of the audience.
Both high schools and primary schools encouraged and cheered each other and showed great interest when witnessing experiments and activities that they thought were interesting. In this way experimental techniques, skills and know-how were shared amongst the science clubs.
At the end of the competition, Prof Shaheed Hartley thanked everyone who participated in making the day a success. Special thanks went to each of the science teachers and their 200 science club learners who prepared and worked hard to make their science contribution as successful as possible. The winning primary school was Vergesig Primary and Langeberg Secondary took the honours for the high schools – both schools were from Robertson. All participating schools were thanked for their contribution and encouraged to continue with their efforts to expand their interaction in STEM.
Organisations and corporations that want to contribute to this important initiative to support and develop science in rural schools to build a critical mass of future STEM practitioners are encouraged to make contact with the Director of AK NPC, Prof Shaheed Hartley:
083 793 0436
