A student from Soneike High School secured first place in the ninth annual Community Chest Science Quest competition, surpassing 80 participants from Cape Town schools. This contest aims to motivate youth to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).
Abigail Kiango expressed joy and surprise over her success, noting that her faith helped her navigate the competition. The contest tested students' skills in areas such as coding, mathematics, robotics, chemistry, and natural sciences.
Students from COSAT High School and Apex High School also participated in the competition, taking second and third place, respectively.
Kiango stated that she was satisfied with her work and had done everything possible. She said: 'I am very happy and truly shocked, but I know I gave my all, and I dedicated it to my God, my savior Jesus Christ.'
As prizes, Kiango received a laptop and Sony headphones, among other items. She also highly valued the support among the participants during the competition, describing an atmosphere of mutual encouragement.
Uyintando Mkhonjeni, who placed second and attends COSAT High School, shared that his aspiration to become a doctor influenced his interest in science. He anticipated pride and excitement from his parents upon returning home to share his achievement.
Third place was taken by Moegamad Nell from Apex High School, who noted that this result would help showcase his school's achievements in science. He emphasized that it would 'put our school's name in the public eye' and show people that Apex High School students can engage in and excel at science.
Nell also expressed surprise at the outcome, explaining that they had hoped to be in the top 10 but did not expect to finish in the top three.
The competition gathered 80 students from participating institutions to test their knowledge in disciplines such as coding, mathematics, robotics, chemistry, and natural sciences. This initiative is organized in partnership between Community Chest and the Cape Town Science Centre and is aimed at making science appealing and encouraging students to consider STEM-related subjects when choosing courses in Grade 10.
Steven Sachs, CEO of the Cape Town Science Centre, mentioned that this initiative has evolved over nine editions to align with changes in the school curriculum, including the introduction of coding and robotics. He stressed that the program is designed for long-term impact, not just a one-off experience. Collaboration with partners in selecting schools was part of efforts to strengthen its significance.
Sachs added that the positive experiences and challenges students overcame contributed to strengthening their self-confidence. This was important because students return to schools where teachers have varying levels of qualification and access to specialized scientific support.
Sachs also reported that students can continue exploring their interests through the STEM Clubs at the Cape Town Science Centre, which offer extracurricular activities, resources, projects, assignments, and competitions. These clubs give interested students the opportunity to pursue science outside the classroom and develop their skills over time.
Community Chest CEO Peter Higer stated that education is a central element of the organization's work and explained why it supports initiatives like Science Quest. Higer noted: 'One of the pillars is education, and we put a lot of effort into education.'