The Rotary Club of Port Harcourt GRA has splashed the sum of N850,000:00 on the 10 finalists of the 13th edition of Rotary Einstein Science Challenge in Rivers State.
While the winner of the science challenge went home with a trophy and the sum of N300,000:00, the first and second runners-up received plaques as well as N200,000:00 and N100,000:00 prizes, respectively.
Also, seven other successful finalists in the science challenge received N50,000:00 for their ability to get to the final stage of the competition.
Speaking during the event in Port Harcourt on Thursday, President of the Rotary Club of Port Harcourt, Rotarian Douglas Okafor, said the science challenge was part of the calendar of Rotary International, aimed at discovery young scientists.
Okafor stated that the competition started 10 weeks ago with 100 contestants drawn from various secondary schools in the state, pointing out that qualifying examinations were written at different stages, leading to the emergence of the ‘Top 10’ finalists.
While expressing the hope that over 100 secondary schools in the state will participate in next year’s edition of the challenge, the Rotary Club President revealed that over 40 schools participated in the 13th edition.
He said: “Today was one of our biggest days in Rotary Calendar; today being the climax of Rotary Einstein Science Challenge. It is a programme where we discover young scientists, we train them, we mentor them for weeks.
“It didn’t started today; this programme has been 10 weeks in the offing. There were 100 of them who wrote qualification examination and qualified first. Then, they came here, were tutored for about three weeks and they wrote another examination and were reduced to 50. Then from 50, it reduced to the 10 you are seeing here today.
“What we try to do is to discover new talents and try to encourage them, nurture them. What we gave them today is a token, but still it will still go a long way to tell them that they are on the right course. Science and technology is what is controlling the world.
“We want much more and more of our youngsters heading towards that way. It is not easy being a scientist, but still it is the best way. If is how the Chinese have been able to move millions of people out of poverty. It is the same way we should move our people out of poverty using science education.
“This is the 13th edition and over 44 schools participate in the exercise. We are expecting over 100 schools in Rivers State to participate in next year’s edition.”
Speaking with newsmen, the winner of the 13th edition of Rotary Einstein Science Challenge and student of Nigerian Navy Secondary School, Borokiri, Port Harcourt, Ugonna Obi, said he started working on the project that won him the position since when he was in junior secondary school.
Obi said: “I thank God Almighty for making it possible for me to be among first 50 students that passed the first examination. I also thank God, whose grace made me to enter Top 10.
“This exhibition I presented today, I started working on it when I was in the junior secondary school. Before that time, I had made up mind to go for any open competition where I can present it to the world. My project was not just for exhibition, it is for the safety of everyone. I will like to thank Rotary for this and appeal that they should give more people the opportunity. “
