My son and I attended the launch of the nationwide Search for “Kid Innovators,” at the National Kis’ Innovation Day held at The Mind Museum in Taguig City last week. Our homeschooler’s inclination towards the sciences surfaced early on. From when he was three, he would profess to want to be a Scientist or an inventor someday. I love that he got to witness the young people who invented downright impressive things that may just about inspire him to pursue his dream to become a scientist.
Present during the launch were the young innovators and their families, VIPs from Wyeth Nutrition, the President of the National Academy of Science and Technology, Dr. William Padolina. The search invites students aged 9 to 14, Grades 4 to 8, to submit an innovative science-related project that they produced, either alone or as a group of 2 to 5 members, in compliance with an academic requirement or as personal initiative. As homeschoolers, we will fall in the “personal initiative” category, if ever Jed will come up with a project. 🙂
Wyeth Nutrition President and General Manager Joseph Eugene David shared, “Sparking the spirit of innovation among our young generation can help propel our pursuit toward better lives for Filipino families.”
The launch presented an impressive group of Kid Innovators and their respective projects, namely:
- Aliana Mae Arales and Jejomar Drecho of Manila Sicence High School – invented the Tri-Axis Accelerometer as Commercial Seismic Wave Sensor received the Gold Award in the 2014 International Youth Invention Exhibit Awards.
- Justine Silvestre and Adrian dela Cruz of Philippine Science High School – invented the Oxygen Plasma Surface Modification of Polylactic Acid-Cellulose Acetate Chitosan Nanocomposite Fiber won the Best Overseas Project at the Mahidol Wittayanusorn School Science Fair 2015 in Thailand.
- Jeanne Alexis Marasigan, Whinley Hasset Uy, Mari Christine Amon, Leira Mae Socito and alexis Andrea Tamayo of Manila Science High School – invented the Light Intensity Meter-Operated Automatic Gas Tank Valve Lock won the Gold Award in the 2014 International Youth Invention Exhibition Awards in Taiwan.
- 14 year old Amin Hataman invented biodegradable plastics made of coconuts in 2014 and won the Gold Award in the 2014 International Young Inventors Olympiad in Georgia, and Bronze Award in the 2015 I-Sweep Olympiad in Texas, U.S.A.
In time for Wyeth’s 100 years of advancing nutrition is this search that reaffirms its passion for innovation towards nurturing healthier generations. The top three winning entries of the Search for the Wyeth Nutrition Kid Innovators will each receive P100,000, a trophy and a Science and Technology showcase worth P100,000 for the partner school.
