Entries open for Young Caribbean Environmental Scientist of the Year contest
Entries are now open for Macmillan Education Caribbean’s new competition, the Young Caribbean Environmental Scientist of the Year Competition 2022-2023.
In an announcement, Macmillan Education Caribbean said that with its summer campaign, the ‘Summer of Science,’ brought to a close, it plans to continue to promote the importance of science and the environment with the new competition.
“The competition aims to encourage young learners across the Caribbean to get involved in taking action against climate change and is open to students through from Years 1 to 11 in participating countries,” it explained in the announcement.
Students are asked to, either as an individual or group, come up with a project in their community, school, or local area that takes action to combat climate change and its impacts, in line with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal of Climate Action.
‘Climate Action’ is Goal 13 of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and calls for urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
“Students might think of a solution for water, air, or noise pollution, reduce the problems caused by plastic, or come up with an innovative way to reduce the impacts of fast fashion. By taking part, students will be challenged and in turn will develop key skills including research and analysis, problem-solving, and teamwork, as they apply their thinking to a real-world issue that affects people all over the world,” the announcement said.
The prizes to be awarded to the lucky winners of the competition include some of Macmillan Education
Caribbean’s science textbooks, STEM Builders activity boxes, and a hands-on science session with scientists themselves for the winning class in both primary and secondary categories.
The competition will be judged by science experts Dr Claire Durant, Debbie Roberts, and Kavelle Hylton, with the winners and runners-up in both categories announced in Spring 2023.
Dr Durant MRSC received her doctorate as a Commonwealth Scholar at Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine, London, and has teaching experience at the secondary and tertiary level in the Caribbean and abroad. Roberts is an experienced science educator, author, and teacher trainer at primary and secondary levels of science education with a specialism in STEAM methodology. Hylton, meanwhile, is a trained Science teacher, public speaker and science and technology coordinator, as well as founder and CEO of STEM Builders Learning Hub Limited.
“This competition is an opportunity for students to learn many enquiry-based learning skills that become life skills ... This is a real and rare experience for students to engage with the scientific procedure to address a topical and real-world problem. Just like all Scientists from the past, the present and the future,” Roberts was quoted as saying.
To enter the competition, visit Macmillan Education Caribbean’s website (https://macmillan-caribbean.com/) for more information, including instructions, eligibility, and helpful tips and support. Guyana is among the eligible countries.