Science clubbers catalysts for global change

MANILA, Philippines - In line with its thrust of promoting Science learning, the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center recently partnered with the Philippine Society of Youth Science Club (PSYSC) in holding the MathSciAKa (Mathematics, Science, at Kapaligiran).

The competition is one of the organization’s main activities for the celebration of the National Science Club Month ’09.

With this year’s theme, “Science Clubbers: The Catalyst for Global Change”, MathSciAKa aims to promote ways of learning Science, technology, and the environment through fun-filled experiments and workshops.

“We hold MathSciAKa and other activities for the National Science Club Month to promote Science to elementary and high school students. We have fun activities to make the process of learning enjoyable and to encourage more students to join their school’s Science club and learn more about the subject,” said Dr. Renato Solidum Jr., corporate secretary of PSYSC’s board of trustees and director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Shai Clemino-Abelo, marketing manager of the Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center, added, “We’re very happy to be part of PSYSC’s celebration of this year’s National Science Club Month. Nido Fortified Science Discovery Center is the perfect venue for these events since our goals to promote science in a fun and interactive manner are very much aligned with the PSYSC’s goals.”

PSYSC’s MathSciAKa is an annual event that includes on-the-spot and interactive workshops and Engineering Science challenges that test the participants’ knowledge in Science and its application.

This year’s participants were also given the Engineering Science Challenges of the Year which were composed of take home projects that were tested during the event proper.

Elementary students were given the Space Pillar (Toothpick Tower Challenge) and Astroplunging Bulwark (Egg Drop Vehicle Challenge) while high school students were given the Mechanical Aeronautic Bird (Ornithopter Challenge), Interstellar Link (Spaghetti Bridge Challenge with a Twist), and Interspacian Asteroidal Catapult (Trebuchet Accuracy Challenge).

All the challenges were related to astronomy as the International Year of Astronomy is celebrated this year.