IGNITE in CHITTAGONG
After the successful completion of the first divisional finale in Sylhet, the second divisional finale of IGNITE -- a secondary school-based science competition -- was held in Chittagong on May 23. Month-long activation campaign was carried out in different schools before the final event took place at Ispahani Public School and College in the port city last Friday.
More than one thousand students registered for the competition, but turnout was not high in the finale. However, spontaneous participation of students and their wide range of projects made the event a success. Participants gathered at the venue early in the morning and started assembling their projects for display.
The competition was held in three categories: Discover Science, Idea Flight and Imagine the Future. Students of classes VI-VIII participated in Discover Science, a 40-minute MCQ quiz, while students of classes VI-VIII and IX-X prepared concept papers on different projects for Idea Flight category. Imagine the Future featured science and technology-based projects from the students of classes IX-X.
Students came up with a good number of projects and papers, focusing on some of the most talked about issues including bio-preservative alternatives of formalin, prevention of road accidents, utilisation of solar energy and mobile based fire alarm and security system.
Minar Ahmed, a student of Feni Pilot High School, came with his robot to participate in IGNITE. He said, “I like to experiment with electronics devices. I'm here to show my project to the audience and judges so that it gets noticed.”
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Arnab Chowdhury from Cantonment English School won the first prize in Discover Science category; Antu Dutta and Rouhit Arman from Chittagong Government High School won the first prize in Imagine the Future category. Ashraf Mahmud and his team from B.N. School and College, and Farhana Ahmed and her team from Kapashgola City Corporation High School jointly won the first prize in Idea Flight category. Champions of all the categories received a laptop each as the first prize, while other winners received tablets and science books.
A four-member jury panel -- formed by Md. Sanaul Rabbi, Assistant Professor of ME, Chittagong University of Science and Technology (CUET); Anuva Chowdhury, Assistant Professor of EEE, CUET; Amran Haroon, Assistant Professor, School of Engineering & Computer Science, Chittagong Independent University (CIU); Md. Rajib Hasan, Lecturer, School of Engineering & Computer Science, CIU -- assessed the projects and term papers to select the best participants. Professor Dr. Sajal Banik from ME Department of CUET gave a presentation on robotics.
The prize giving ceremony was held in the afternoon in presence of students, their parents and guests. Baqui Mohammad Billah, General Manager and Head of Grameenphone's Chittagong region; Dr. Salehuddin Ahmed, Managing Editor of The Daily Star, and Mahbubul Alam, Principal of Ispahani Public School and College were present at the ceremony. They handed over prizes to the winners.
IGNITE, the joint initiative of GP and The Daily Star, was launched on March 22, 2014 with the slogan “Science for Internet Generation.” Third divisional finale of IGNITE will take place on May 30 at Viqarunnisa Noon School and College in Dhaka.
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