Sunday, May 12, 2013
Abu Dhabi: The model cars in all shapes and colours stood gleaming. A crowd of eager schoolchildren, meanwhile, waited to begin the final races that would be proof of their talent and creativity in engineering, design and even marketing.
This was the scene at the Yas Marina Circuit in the capital during the two-day finals of the fifth “F1 in Schools” Technology Challenge. The long-awaited national finals, which began on Sunday, will see the participation of nearly 200 pupils from 37 schools across the UAE.
“The competition helps schoolchildren develop a love and understanding of science, technology, engineering and maths, and we have been seeing a growing interest in participation. Moreover, the design and complexity of the car prototypes that are submitted for the races and displays have increased tremendously over the last five years since the challenge has been organised in the UAE, thus indicating the growth in pupils’ expertise and skills,” said Abdullah Al Shammari, manager of the F1 in Schools Programme for the UAE.
The competition, which began in April, required teams of pupils to design racing car prototypes that are one twentieth the size of an actual race car. Unlike actual race cars that run on combustion engines, these prototypes use a pressurised gas canister to generate the force required for propulsion.
“Designing these cars enables pupils to utilise their knowledge of the sciences, while the presentations they must deliver about the development process encourages confidence. In addition, pupils also get a chance to hone their skills in marketing as they scout for sponsors,” Al Shammari said.
This year’s competition attracted more than 100 schools, each with a number of teams. The competition is divided into four categories based on grades, including professionals, rookies, bloodhounds and juniors.
Participation is limited to those below 18 years of age, and the winners of each category receive a trophy. In addition, the winning teams from the professionals category will enter their models for participation in the F1 in Schools world finals to be held in Texas later this year.
Mohammad Farhaj, leader of Team Pistonari from Our Own English High School in Al Warqa and a Grade 12 pupil, said he and his six team members had learnt a lot about aerodynamics by participating in the competition.
“There are so many different criteria that the prototypes must adhere to, and so building them was a challenge. Moreover, we had to ensure that we did not fall behind in our schoolwork,” Farhaj said.
Bisho Darra, a Grade 9 pupil and member of Team Avitus from GEMS World Academy in Dubai, also said the competition had strengthened his desire to become an auto mechanics engineer.
“This is the first time we have participated in this contest, and I, along with all five members of our team, learnt a lot about physics and science. We also developed our public speaking skills for the presentation, and our techniques in marketing,” he added.
By Samihah Zaman Staff Reporter
Gulf News 2013. All rights reserved.
