High school kids need help in order to travel to a science fair.
Seven high schoolers from Río Branco, who received an International award for their project for the manufacturing of “ecological concrete”, need to raise money so they can travel to the Intel fair in California for which they currently have only two tickets.
“These kids have brains and they are driven” Gloria Comesaña, the group's teacher, told Montevideo portal.
The juniors, who form part of the “Los Arqui locos” science club from Río Branco, Cerro Largo, developed an interesting science project which allows the manufacturing of cement from rice hulls.
In the fields near the rice growing zones of the country more than 3000,000 tons of rice hulls are accumulated every year — “waste that is not degradable and has no real use” and can be “highly contaminating” when burnt, Comesaña pointed out.
The “ecological concrete” allowed the youngsters to win the Intel award, an international distinction which landed in the remote location of Cerro Largo and now gives the kids the opportunity of travelling to the US and exhibiting their invention in the International Science and Engineering fair, Intel INSEF, which will be held in California next year.
The only problem is that the Intel award gives out two tickets to the fair, and the young inventors are seven, and have to be accompanied by at least three teachers according to Secondary school regulations, which means that there is a group of 10 people “who deserve to live out this experience” claimed Comesaña.
“In march we have to have the Money: only the plane tickets add up to more than 7,700 dollars, not to mention the tickets to the fair which cost 150 dollars each and food and accommodation” the teacher explained, pointing out that various initiatives are being carried out to raise the money, such as raffles, events and a “toll booth” asking for people's collaborations.
An account has been opened in BROU for those who wish to collaborate (details at the end of this article) and, according to Comesaña, “in theory” Secondary Education will pay for the teacher's tickets.
“Getting the first prize means their project is at a developed country level. This is a unique opportunity for the kids and for all Uruguayans” the teacher added, pointing out the fact that all of this was possible even from Cerro Largo, “one of the most under developed provinces in the country”.
With this project, as the teacher pointed out, a
new world of opportunities has opened up for the kids, since most of them are from poor homes. Besides the opportunity of traveling abroad for the fair, their invention was patented this week and there have already been some proposals for its use as a construction material. “There are two proposals to make the prototype for a house in that material, but nothing can be done until the patent paperwork is finished, in order to protect the children's rights” the teacher concluded.
"Los Arqui Locos" science group has the following members: Camila Denis, Mary Goicochea, Sergio Apolinario, Juan Melgar, Juan Pérez, Fabricio Techera, Nicolai Wasen.
Collaborations in Pesos:
Account: 040-005394-9
Collaborations in US dollars
Account: 040-005395-7
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