Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Trending
  • Africa could lead the way in precision medicine
  • Wall-to-Wall Creation
  • Covid grant should be increased to at least R413, say civil society groups
  • National shutdown goes off peacefully in Makhanda
  • A bond forged by mentoring
  • Ibe yimpumelelo itumente yolutsha eQhorha
  • A good financial planner is indispensable
  • Exciting encounters in LFA Premier League weekend games
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Grocott's Mail
  • NEWS
    • Courts & Crime
    • Features
    • Politics
    • People
    • Health & Well-being
  • SPORT
    • News
    • Results
    • Sports Diary
    • Club Contacts
    • Columns
    • Sport Galleries
    • Sport Videos
  • OPINION
    • Election Connection
    • Makana Voices
    • Deur ‘n Gekleurde Bril
    • Newtown… Old Eyes
    • Incisive View
    • Your Say
  • ARTSLIFE
    • Cue
    • Makana Sharp!
    • Visual Art
    • Literature
    • Food & Fun
    • Festivals
    • Community Arts
    • Going Places
  • OUR TOWN
    • What’s on
    • Spiritual
    • Emergency & Well-being
    • Safety
    • Civic
    • Municipality
    • Weather
    • Properties
      • Grahamstown Properties
    • Your Town, Our Town
  • OUTSIDE
    • Enviro News
    • Gardening
    • Farming
    • Science
    • Conservation
    • Motoring
    • Pets/Animals
  • ECONOMIX
    • Business News
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Personal Finance
  • EDUCATION
    • Education NEWS
    • Education OUR TOWN
    • Education INFO
  • Covid-19
  • EDITORIAL
Grocott's Mail
You are at:Home»Uncategorized»Science Olympiad success for pupils
Uncategorized

Science Olympiad success for pupils

EditorBy EditorJuly 5, 2016No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Grahamstown Grade 12 pupil Jacqui James will be flown to London at the end of this month for a high-powered two-week science enrichment programme, thanks to her achievement in the 52nd National Science Olympiad.

Grahamstown Grade 12 pupil Jacqui James will be flown to London at the end of this month for a high-powered two-week science enrichment programme, thanks to her achievement in the 52nd National Science Olympiad.

James was named runner-up in the Life Sciences category at the awards ceremony at the Gallagher Convention Centre, in Midrand Gauteng, last week.

The ceremony honours South Africa’s top young science learners in 2016 in Life Sciences and Physical Sciences, as well as categories such as Top Girl Learners, Top Learners from Previously Disadvantaged Schools and Top Learners from Southern African Development Community (SADC) Schools. 

The awards were presented by the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (SAASTA). 
Three other Grahamstown pupils performed well in the Olympiad.

Lauren James, also from VGHS and Jacqui’s twin sister, placed 5th nationally and 7th overall with the SADC countries included. 
Milagre Lang, another VGHS pupil, also attended the SAASTA science focus week and placed in the top 50 for the Life Sciences Olympiad. 

Jarah Fluxman from Graeme College placed 5th in South Africa for physical sciences and 8th overall in the SADC.

Jacqui is one of the top four South African learners to attend the London International Youth Science Forum. The forum is a two-week residential programme which attracts over 500 of the world’s leading young scientists aged 17-21 years from more than 65 participating countries. 

Jacqui explains that spending time on her dad's farm had allowed her to make little discoveries every day. “Science fascinates me. I enjoy knowing how things work and why they are the way they are,” she said.  

Jacqui emphasises the importance of perseverance when it comes to learning about science in high school.

"There are some parts of science that are less exciting but are needed as a base for one’s understanding. These sections may cause learners to lose interest in science. However I encourage them to persevere as what one learns later on, which depends on this initial knowledge, is fascinating." She encourages learners to push through because the end results are worth it.    

The National Science Olympiad is one of the leading projects of SAASTA. 

The project offers school pupils in grades 10 to 12 opportunities to compete in science with peers from SADC countries such as Lesotho and Zimbabwe.

The competition comprises an annual examination in science (physical and life sciences). Learners and schools stand a chance to win exciting prizes. The top national performers can win an all-expenses-paid trip to the London International Youth Science Forum and the Australian National Youth Science Forum.

The Olympiad comprises two papers/streams: Physical science (physics and chemistry) and life science. Learners can choose to write either the physical science or life science papers.

The main aims of the competition are to identify talent, to encourage excellence in science education and to stimulate interest in the sciences. It seeks to inspire young people to consider careers in science and technology.

The competition was established in 1964, initially for grade 12 learners, with the objective of promoting Physical Science. Over the years, participation and performance in the National Science Olympiad has increased significantly from about 700 learners in 1967 to more than 30 000 in 2014.

Previous ArticleBakkie-load of dead sheep – three arrested
Next Article Science Olympiad success for pupils*
Editor

Comments are closed.

Tweets by Grocotts
Newsletter



Listen

The Rhodes University Community Engagement Division has launched Engagement in Action, a new podcast which aims to bring to life some of the many ways in which the University interacts with communities around it. Check it out below.

Humans of Makhanda

Humans of Makhanda

Weather    |     About     |     Advertise     |     Subscribe     |     Contact     |     Support Grocott’s Mail

© 2023 Maintained by School of Journalism & Media Studies.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.