LONDON - 10 February 2004 - 400 words
London:
Tomorrow's World at Maria Fidelis School
Some of the brightest young minds in north London took part in
a major new science competition at Maria Fidelis school in Camden,
north London yesterday.
Eight student teams from six schools were given just two hours to research a topical science issue chosen at random, and then give a presentation.
The atmosphere was tense as each team got to grips with their subjects. While Hampstead School researched nuclear fission, a team from Camden School for Girls focussed on weather, a group from Maria Fidelis and William Ellis school examined nano science and another from South Camden Community College studied the risks of using mobile phones. Students from La Sainte Union grappled with the science and ethics of cloning and another group from Maria Fidelis examined the pros and cons of the MMR vaccine.
Within two hours, the arguments had been
thought through, scripts were written, visual aids and overhead
projector slides were completed and the presentations got underway.
The Scientific Content prize was won by a team from Maria Fidelis
- who gave a very thoughtful and detailed presentation on Genetically
Modified foods, using props, dialogue and slides. South Camden
Community School won the prize for Communication and Presentation
for their witty and informative piece on cannabis which included
a short dramatic sketch.
The prizes were £25 book tokens for each winning team member. All participants also receive a certificate of competence for taking part in the project.
Hermione Cockburn, a geomorphologist and science broadcaster with the BBC, who lead the judging in the Scientific Content category, said: "I have been very impressed with all the presentations. They all studied their subject in considerable depth and it was very difficult to select a winner."
Journalist Jo Siedlecka, who was the main
judge for the Communication/Presentation prize said: "All
of the groups showed real imagination and inventiveness. They
were enjoyable to watch as well as very informative."
The Tomorrow's World competition was organised by Maria Fidelis
School's Head of Science, Carol Gamble, with central government
funding through Camden Council from the Gifted and Talented Network.
Three young scientists from UCL: molecular cell biologists, Tom
Anderson, and Rosy Hosking, (a past student at Maria Fidelis)
and Angela Wyatt, a particle physicist, have been working with
pupils at the school over the past year, through the Researchers
in Residence scheme.
Ms Gamble said she hoped the scheme would change pupils' perception of science: "For too long I think there has been an image of scientists as dull boffins with white coats and beards. The aim of this scheme is to show how varied and exciting science can be and how relevant it is to us in our daily lives."
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News 2004
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