JEDDAH, 13 April 2006 — A competition for young scientists kicked off here yesterday with an invitation for all students interested in saving our natural resources to take part.
Launched under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and in cooperation with the Jeddah Science & Technology Center, the “Al-Baik Coca-Cola Young Scientists Competition,” as it is dubbed, was officially introduced as the ninth annual event, at a press conference at the Jeddah Hilton.
Participation regulations, upcoming activities, competition timelines and other key points about the contest were presented. Presenters included Rami Abu Ghazaleh, CEO, Al-Baik Foods Systems Ltd., and Abdullah Al-Saywed, deputy director of the students affairs department at the Education Ministry.
“The annual event, considered one of the pioneering science programs for the benefit of the youth, gives participants an opportunity to excel in a field that brings together education with innovation and creativity,” Al-Saywed said.
The competition is open to school students between the ages of 10 and 18 and is judged by a panel made up of professors from King Abdul Aziz University and officials from the ministry.
The selection criteria for the competition include six main components: Simplicity, originality, uniqueness, ease of operation, performance, and design. Students will also be subject to an interview with the judging panel for a final assessment of their invention.
This year’s prizes for the competition include a grand prize of all-expenses paid trip for the winner and his/her legal guardian for a period of five days to participate in a volunteer program at the Dubai Children’s Museum, plus a cash prize of SR5,000. The first-place prize for the three levels is an Intel P IV computer laptop, second place prize Intel P IV desktop computer, third place prize a talking dictionary plus an English-language course.
The school with the highest number of participating entries will also receive a prize and the teacher supervising the grand prizewinner student will be awarded a cash prize.
Deadline for the competition entries has been set for April 30 with interviews to be scheduled with the judging committee the following week. Winners will be announced during a finale event hosted at the science center on May 11, which will be open to all participants and their families.
“We’re keen to continue giving the necessary support to our youth in identifying their potential and seeking to further make the world we live in a better place,” Abu Ghazaleh said. “When the competition kicked off nine years ago, we set a goal to ensure its continuation and development for the benefit of students, paving the way for them to be innovative in the world of science.
“Today, we’re striving to continue working with all parties to ensure the competition’s sustainability and growth. This is our duty to our youth, a mission that we’ve started together and hope to see progressing to the fullest capabilities and opportunities,” he added.
