RIYADH, 8 August — Jawad Jaafar Al-Hashim, a Saudi secondary school student from Al-Ahsa, has won first place in an international information designing contest held at the Silicon Valley in the United States.
Hashim scored 85.2 points to win the top place while American Jean Gate came second with 85 points and Australian Oliver Albright third with 76.2 points. Some 20 students from various countries had taken part in the competition.
Hashim, 15, a first year student of the secondary school in Mubriz in Ahsa region, will receive a scholarship from Microsoft in appreciation of his unique performance.
The company will bear the expenses of his studies at Washington University for eight years as well as the expenses of his stay in the US.
Hashim has received commendations of both US President George W. Bush and Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates for his performance. In his message Gates described the boy as “a valuable diamond” in the field of electronics. “He has terrified designers all over the world,” he added.
Meanwhile, Saudi businessman Abdul Razaq Al-Turki, information in charge of the Arab Organization for the Handicapped, has received the United Nations Cup for services to the disabled. Turki said the international award would encourage him to contribute more to the welfare and well-being of the handicapped.
