ARTICLES
STEM-X Academy, 2018; An Exhilarating, Enlightening X-perience! (continued)
an increasing set of sponsors. Over past years small groups
of the most exceptional Young Scientists have attended the
International Science and Engineering Festival (ISEF) in the USA,
their projects and explanations competing against the best from
many other countries – around 1800 in all. The past two years
have been highly rewarding, and teachers may be interested in
reading the reports in the appropriate editions of SEN. [Apply to
[email protected]]. Nevertheless, the real importance of YS is to
have students learning to think, explore, make – and to explain
everything they did, and why they did it.
The Senate Chamber - similar - though far less seats and red
decor instead of green
One other program that STANSW runs every year is called "Young
Scientist". Several years ago Stuart Garth, Head of Science at
Redeemer Baptist College, encouraged all the students to think of
observations that interested them, and made them wonder why?
or what? or how? He organised that all the students investigate
such phenomena, and enter the YS competition. Soon a regular
trickle of those students were winning prizes. Stuart was elected
onto STANSW Council, and accepted the responsibility for
organising the YS program until the end of 2016. It has expanded
exponentially during that period and since; more schools,
teachers and students (Yr 2 through to Yr 12) have involved
themselves in the program. The investigations are supposed
to be selected, planned and carried out by the students; no
doubt in many cases, particularly for the young, assistance will
be provided by parents, teachers and others, however, during
the marking p