Curro schools shine at Eskom Expo
27 September 2024Several Curro schools, which include Cooper College, St Dominics Newcastle, and Curro Westbrook, celebrated outstanding achievements at the prestigious Eskom Expo International Science Fair, held from 23 to 27 September 2024 at Emperors Palace. These young scientists, competing among South Africa’s brightest minds and international participants, delivered exceptional projects that earned them multiple awards and accolades.
Naveera Chana takes top honours for Cooper College
Grade 8 learner Naveera Chana from Cooper College earned the Top Junior Award for her innovative project, Design of a Low-Cost System for Photosynthesis Measurements. Competing in the Plant Sciences category, her project stood out for its ingenuity and practicality, offering a cost-effective alternative to an expensive commercial system used to measure CO₂ assimilation. This win was a crowning achievement for Naveera, who was also recognised with several other awards, including Best Female Participant and Best Environmental Management Project.
School marketer, Keshia Rakgoale, shared: ‘Winning all these awards is the result of many long hours of weekly practice. Naveera’s dedication, hard work, and support from her father as a mentor made all the difference. She has had to balance academics and this demanding project, but it has certainly paid off.’ Naveera's achievement has inspired her peers, and the school plans to encourage greater participation in STEM projects next year.
St Dominics Newcastle brings home multiple medals
Four learners from St Dominics Newcastle represented KwaZulu-Natal with distinction. Vibhav Ramdas received a gold medal and the prestigious SAICE IT Development Award, while Hamzah Ismail earned gold and a university bursary for his exceptional project. Grace Wu also secured a gold medal, and Makayla Govender won silver for her contributions. The school’s dedication to nurturing young scientific talent was clearly demonstrated as these learners showcased their innovative projects to like-minded peers from across the country.
Curro Westbrook's achievements on the international stage
Curro Westbrook in Gqeberha had two learners – Abongile Stamper and Yusuf Laher – win gold medals for their projects. Abongile impressed with his Artificial Intelligence Medical Algorithm project, while Yusuf wowed the judges with his bioplastics project, Creating a Sustainable and Practical Future. Both learners received high praise, competing not only with South African participants but also with international students from countries like Mexico, Russia, and India. Their success at the Expo has firmly positioned Curro Westbrook as one of the top science schools in the region.
A platform for future scientists
The Eskom Expo International Science Fair provides learners with opportunities to develop their scientific research skills, connect with peers, and earn valuable prizes, including cash awards, scholarships, and laptops. Curro schools continue to excel at this event, showcasing their commitment to fostering a love for science and innovation among learners. As the success stories of Naveera, Vibhav, Hamzah, Grace, Abongile, and Yusuf demonstrate, Curro schools are shaping future leaders in STEM.
With this year’s victories behind them, Curro schools are already looking ahead to 2025, aiming to inspire more learners to follow in these footsteps and pursue their passions for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.