Group Rewards Student With Scholarship After Engineering Competition

The Society for Petroleum Engineers (SPE) has awarded a scholarship to a female student of Bridge-End International Secondary School, Miss Daramfon Udoakang, for emerging overall best in an engineering competition it organized.

The award was announced by Engr (Dr) Eyo Ukpabio, a lecturer at the Petroleum Engineering Department, University of Calabar (UNICAL), and representative of Society of Petroleum Engineers, during a celebration at Bridge-End High School Calabar, yesterday.

At the event, Engr Eyo Ukpabio urged parents to allow their wards to participate in competitions as such science and engineering competitions could bring out their hidden talents.

Ukpabio said, “The YMCTY initiative is a flagship educational outreach programme designed to stimulate early academic curiosity, professional awareness and long-term career interest in Petroleum Engineering and other STEM-related disciplines among secondary school students.”

He described the awards as part of the Yusuf Matashi “Catch Them Young” (YMCTY) scholarship programme, which recognises young talents in STEM fields.

The SPE representative described the two winners as “being among future energy leaders.” He emphasised that the YMCTY programme targets high-performing secondary school students with strong aptitude and interest in science subjects, particularly those considering future studies in engineering and applied science.

The school also celebrated another of her senior secondary school students, Mr Ayiloka Isaac Ibokun, for securing third position in the competition.

A consultant surgeon and former chief medical director of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (CMD-UCTH), who is the chairman, Board of Directors of the school, praised the students’ parents for guiding and grooming them to win the competition.