Science is a beautiful gift to humanity; we should not distort it
- A.P.J.Abdul Kalam
Scipotech 2018- an interschool science and technology competition was organised at Podar World School, Sherkhi on Friday, 26th October, 2018 with the key objective of bringing out the hidden talents of students and with a focus on creating more awareness in the field of science, technology, computer and engineering and art. This exhibition was an endeavor to promote scientific attitude among budding young students. Dr. Apurva Shah, Director, Computer Centre of Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda and Dr Prakash Samnani, Professor in Department of Chemistry of the M.S. University, Baroda, jointly along with the Principal, Ms Preeta Pillai of Podar World School, Sherkhi inaugurated the science fest.
A total of 115 students from Standard IX to XII from ten elite schools across the city displayed innovative talents. These schools were Anand Vidya Vihar, Vibgyor High, Cygnus World School, D.R. Amin Memorial High School, New Era Senior Secondary School, Tree House High School, Navrachna Vidyani Vidyalaya, Baselios Public School, Podar World School, Sama and Podar World School, Sherkhi. As the host team, the students of Podar World School, Sherkhi,( till last year the host school did not claim any prizes, though they enthusiastically participated) too participated and put forth their best foot in each of the category, sharing and learning in the competitive spirit.
Rigorous preparation for the D day started a fortnight in advance. Checklists were made for the entries from both the host and invited schools, the preliminary works to be carried out in the host school with respect to decoration, organization, transportation, and for recreation to be given was prepared diligently under the strict supervision of the leader and executed in a meticulous manner. An organizing committee consisting of 15 students from class IX to XII worked hard to turn this day into a great success.
On 26th morning the participants from other schools started arriving by 8.30 a.m. They were registered at the entrance, food coupons handed over to the Incharge teachers and they were then escorted to the rooms as per their category of project by OC members who stood carrying the ply cards bearing the names of the schools that had registered. . As one entered the reception area itself, one could feel the pulse and the magnitude of the event! The entire school was abuzz with activity. By 9:15 a.m, the judges too arrived and were welcomed by the Principal, Ms Preeta Pillai, the Headmistress, Ms Dipti Ratanpal, the Coordinators, the SciPoTech incharge, Ms Smita Chitnis and a few senior teachers accompanied with the school band. As all the registered participants had arrived and set their projects by quarter to 10:00 a.m., the judges started taking rounds by 10:10 beginning with the senior K.G projects, and then of class I&II and gradually moving on to higher levels.There were 75 projects in all. Some of the significant projects under working models in Science and Technology from registered schools were Air purifier, Oil separation from water, Garbage treatment plant using technology, Garden sprinkler, Bubble dispenser, Popcorn maker, Solenoid coil, Electric generator, Water management etc. Those under STEAM were Combine Harvester, Robotic arm, Cupboard lock safety, Street light model using Audrino etc. The projects under Technology included Web Page Designing, Website designing, Website using google blogger, HTML website, Online doodling etc.
The foremost among the displays from the host school (Podar World School, Sherkhi) was the project that had gone till the regional level at the CBSE science fair in the year 2017-18 titled ‘Cooperative Grain Storage Bank’. Then the other projects from Sr. K.G to class XII were as follows: Life cycle of a Butterfly (Paper plate hands on activity), Water Cycle, A rhyme on germination from seed to plant, Number Magic, Sound sandwich, Balloon powered hovercraft, Toy pulley, Stethoscope, Model of Lung, Binoculars, Turbine sprinklers, Newton’s colour wheel, Electric fan,Walking water experiment, Potato battery, Spectroscope, Electromagnet, Rubber band powered car, Mini cardboard flour mill, Best of e-waste, Archimedes screw, Easy water dispenser, Hydraulic lift, Vaccum cleaner, Barometer, Creating webpage using HTMLetc etc. The parents of PWS, Sherkhi visited the venues where the displays of their wards were kept and were indeed happy to see the enthusiastic presentations of their wards and highly appreciated the school and their teachers for their efforts in making the event a grand success.
Without much delay, the anchor declared the results for the Science category. She began with the 2nd runner up, the winners being Nidhi Shah & Dhun Navale from Navrachna Vidyani Vidyalaya, the 1st runner up, Nimisha Sharma & Vats Panchal from Anand Vidya Vihar and the first winner in the category being Dhanraj Zaveri and Suraz Kumar from Podar World School, Sherkhi respectively.
In the Technology category, the 2nd runner up was Vivek Yadav & Parikshit Singh from PWS, Sherkhi, the 1st runner up, Om Pathak & Nandini Patel from Vidgyor High School and the first winner in the category being Dhruv Desai & Vedant Naik from Navrachna Vidyani Vidyalaya.
In the STEAM category, the 2nd runner up was Jeet Shah & Vaibhav Barodawala from New Era Senior Secondary School, the 1st runner up, Devasya Rajput & Priyanshu Joshi from Navrachna Vidyani Vidyalaya and the first winner of the category was Monang Patel & Vatsa Joshi from PWS, Sherkhi.
Finally the Rolling trophy was lifted with great pride and enthusiasm by Podar World School, Sherkhi by scoring the maximum points within the set criteria by the judges. Thus on the whole it was an eventful day with the intellectual presentations and gathering of a number of budding scientists who have shown the traces of great scientific temper that can go a long way in creating a dynamic future globally. Thanks to the Management and to the vibrant leader, Ms Preeta Pillai of Podar World School, Sherkhi for her unstinted and untiring efforts in making every event a hall mark in the history of PWS, Sherkhi.
