Students participate in science competitions

Mangalore, March 4: As many as 200 students from 15 schools in Mangalore participated in competitions for building science models, creating collages and posters, a quiz and an elocution as part of science festival held in Pilikula on Saturday.

The festival was organised by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of Karnataka, Pilikula Regional Science Centre and Centre for Integrated Learning, a Mangalore-based organisation.

Some of the participating schools were Lourdes Central School, Besant English School, Sharada Vidyalaya, Canara Main School, Chinmaya High School, Canara Girls High School, Prestige International School, and St Joseph's High School and Mount Carmel Central School.

In the science model section, Yash, Kshitij and Glenn of Lourdes Central School had used syringes to power a toy dumper-excavator to demonstrate the principle of hydraulics. Carol, Sonia and Preetha from St Anne also used water-filled syringes to demonstrate how hydraulics could get a lift to work.

Samarth, Abhijith and Vishwas of Sharada Vidyalaya had made a model of a 'low cost airconditioner' (about Rs.2, 200) using a fan, water instead of chemical coolants, and an aquarium motor. Vernon, Shawn and Orwan from St Aloysius School presented three models including one that showed how solar energy could be used for windmills. Another model showed how to use energy created by seawaves.

Vernette and Sowmya of Mount Carmel School, said they had practised a lot to participate in the elocution on the subject of 'a world with clean energy options'.

Prithvi Shetty, a student and winner of a competition organised by the National Children Science Congress, inaugurated the science festival.

She said that she and her team had won a competition titled 'Earth resources for prosperity, safer future' for developing a solution to fight water pollution using Salvinia molesta, a plant, to counter industrial effluents.

Speaking on the occasion, K Jagadish, retired Professor of Zoology, MGM College, Udupi, urged the students to cultivate habits such as dressing, eating and studying correctly. He said that studying in English medium schools did not mean that students should wear ties. The tie is worn for the cold but it is unsuitable in hot and humid conditions, he said.