Young scientists shine at regional expos
22 August 2022
More than 500 budding scientists in the Western Cape displayed their science and innovation research projects at regional finals of the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists.
Learners from Outeniqua High School received the most gold medals and medals overall at the Eden Karoo regional finals.
Janelle Greyling, a Grade 9 learner at Outeniqua High School, entered a project on passive water harvesting/collecting in the Civil and Industrial Engineering subcategory and received the award for the best project by a female.
Jaco Jacobs’ project on automated inflation and pressure regulation for recreational and professional cyclists earned the Grade 10 learner the award for best energy project.
Sisipho Skhotha (Grade 10) of Jonga Street Secondary School won the Best Development Project award for his Sport Psychology project. Abigail Marais, a Grade 9 learner at Punt High School received the Innovation award for her project on gutter cleaners.
A total of 88 learners took part in the West Coast regional finals.
Azharia Grounder of Saldanha Primary School won the award for the best project by a female learner as well as best junior project for her research on the effect of household substances in the rate of seed germination. Thiedu du Preez of Vredenburg High School won best senior project. Atsho Khaba and Lethu Citwa of Diazville High School received awards for best development project and best group project.
Jakes Roothman of Vredendal High School won the Best Energy project award. Weoska Fortuin and Janushka Cloete from Diazville Primary School were the Most Innovative project winners with their project, “Pik vir beter visie!”.
Lyla Makau (Vredenburg High School), Chresin Booysen (Ebenhaeser Primary) and Keirah Mostert (Noordhoek Primary School) won special awards from the Department of Water and Sanitation.
A total of 194 projects were exhibited at the Stellenbosch Regional expo. The Eskom Special Award winners at the event were Vera van der Merwe from Bloemhof Meisieskool (Best Female Project); Ben van der Westhuizen and Sebastian van der Wolf from Curro Durbanville (Best Energy project); Tyla Shepstone from Somerset College (Best Innovation project); and Conor Jonkers from Spurwing Primary School (Best Developmental Project).
(Cape Town regional information still to be added). Cannons Creek School entered seven projects in the Cape Town Regional Expo and received a total of nine awards.
The event at Herzlia High School in Cape Town was the last of the Western Cape regional expos.
