Local young scientists to compete in Pretoria
2008-08-29
At the regional science expo, held at Foskor Community Hall on 22 to 23 August, 17 local young scientists won medals and the chance to compete at the national Eskom Expo for Young Scientists in Pretoria in October. Seven are from the Phalaborwa area and the top score went to Sebo Marobela, a grade 11 learner from Lepato High School in Mashishimale. Sebo beat 106 medal-winning learners at the regional science expo with a project entitled “My own soap invention”.
Sebo was encouraged in his scientific studies by his tutors at the Programme for Technological Careers (PROTEC). His project reveals the secret uses for the humble teabag as a cleaning agent and, in particular how teabags can benefit smelly feet. Sebo created an innovative product that included a blend of used teabags and recycled soap pieces.
The learners who qualified for the national expo were:
Name |
Project name |
School |
Sebo Marobela |
My Own Soap Invention |
Lepato High School |
Marguerite Boshoff |
Proudly Indigenous |
Merensky High School |
Cassandra McGaffin |
Low GI diet |
Unicorn Private School |
Minnette Prinsloo |
Tippy Tap |
Merensky High School |
Merin Jacob |
Water, Water Everywhere |
Merensky High School |
Conor Bremmer |
Germs |
Unicorn Private School |
Remeez Khan |
Edu Admin |
Merensky High School |
Liette Jordan van Zyl |
Super Charged Oxygen |
Merensky High School |
Mohamed Gani / |
Measuring the Earth: the Beta Version |
Kingfisher Private School |
Joshua Selfe |
Waste to Fuel |
Kingfisher Private School |
Emily Kudze |
Carcinoma of the Cervix |
Kingfisher Private School |
Rodney Stevens |
Deteriorating H2O Quality of Limpopo |
Unicorn Private School |
Cherise Moore |
What is Hair Lice? |
Laerskool Phalaborwa |
Moses Hlungwani |
Cross Road Bridge |
Tlakulani High School |
Thabang Moretsele |
Energy |
Hoërskool Frans du Toit |
Carol Mogale |
The Vital Light |
Vuxeni High School |
The recent rounds of the science expo have been organised by Palabora Mining Company/the Palabora Foundation, with kind assistance and sponsorship from Eskom at the regional event.
The organisers would like to thank the volunteers who gave up their day to do the judging. They appeal to adults who have an interest in science, particularly Afrikaans speakers and those with special knowledge of health, to come forward and volunteer to judge next year’s science expos. According to existing judges, the experience is always interesting and rewarding, but there is often a shortage of judges.
For more information about the Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, visit www.exposcience.co.za.
Palabora Mining Company, Foskor Ltd and Sasol Nitro are the major partners of PROTEC in Phalaborwa. The other partners are Standard Bank, Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality, Lepelle Northern Water, GAGE Specialists, Professional Career Consultants, Mopani South-East FET College, Phalaborwa Chamber of Business, Eskom and the Department of Education.
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Run with assistance from the European Union