Science Congress

For all of this term I have been working with a few groups of students on science congress projects.  Science congress is the Kenyan version of the science fair.  There are several categories that students can register projects in, including physics, chemistry, agriculture, and home science.  Within each of these categories they can prepare an exhibit or a talk. 

Originally I was supervising exhibits for biogas production, solar water heating, solar water distillation, refrigeration using clay pots, and energy saving jikos (making wood fires that burn less wood).  All of these projects were progressing, but in the final days three of the projects dropped and we went to the science congress with the solar water heater and the solar water distiller.  Additionally, another teacher advised a mathematical exhibit on construction of a mathematical tool – something like a protractor, ruler, and compass all rolled into one.

At the science congress they asked me to be one of the judges for the physics exhibits.  It was great getting a front row seat to all of the presentations in this category.  Among the 17 projects in this category was an automatic urinal flusher, a wheel with a light for measuring distance, FOUR different solar water heaters, a homemade bicycle pump, and a homemade record player.  The record player was the most exciting until the students revealed that the motor they used did not turn at the correct speed to produce music. 

From our three projects, the mathematical tool placed third (one spot away from advancing to provincials), the solar water distiller placed fourth, and the solar water heater tied for ninth.  I am immensely proud of the students.  They all learned a lot and having our last project rank ninth out of 17 in its category was very respectable.  Last year the school did not even go to the science congress but after their experience this year all of the students said that they were going to work even harder on their projects and go back next year.

It is difficult to hold a competition and have every party walk away happy.  This year was no different, with claims from my students that they should have placed second and advanced to provincials, or that the judges were generally not fair – luckily they were not talking about me because I did not judge any of their projects. 

As a judge and a teacher I believe that the two physics exhibits that are advancing to provincials deserve to go.  Unfortunately though, I also saw first hand how carelessly the judges assigned points to our solar water heater.  Basically, on the score sheets the other judges did not fill in marks for seven or eight of the points out of the total 50 points.  It is not that they marked a zero, they just did not mark anything.  Upon reviewing the sheet, the points that they did not assign were for simple aspects of the project such as having a visual aid and stating the mode of presentation, both of which my students did.  If these marks were included in the total, our solar water heater would have placed fourth or fifth.

I do not know what the judges motivation was.  It was odd that the other score sheets produced by the same judges had the majority of the marks filled. 

Regardless of whether the group should have received fifth or if they deserved the ninth place position that they got, everyone from our school is very proud of them.

 

Below is a picture of Joshua and James waiting to give their presentation on their solar water heater.