2ND Annual Edition Of Anambra STEM Fair Ends

PRESS RELEASE

FOR STEM FAIR ANAMBRA (2ND ANNUAL EDITION) AND WORLD SPACE WEEK ANAMBRA 2019
HELD IN ANAMBRA STATE BETWEEN THE 2ND AND 10TH OCTOBER 2019, THE FIANL BEING AT ST JOHN OF GOD SCHOOL, AWKA, ANAMBRA STATE
BACKGROUND

Two organizations focused on the development of Science Education Engineering Mathematics (STEM) in Nigeria and beyond , namely Young Scientists Center (YSC) with its Chief Executive \Reverend Sister Professor Bernadette Ezeliora and MOrek STEM Network with its Chief Executive and Coordinator Michael Ifeanyi Orekyeh MNSE, collaborated form the planning and execution of a great STEM intervention in program, namely STEM Fair, Anambra 2019 and World Space Week , Anambra 2019, which were held as a combined event.
STEM Fair Anambra – With the desire of ensuring that our students learn practical science and application of the same, MOrek STEM Network partnered with Young Scientist Center and introduced STEM Fair Anambra. It is an Inventors Competition, Technology Exhibition and Technology Seminar combined in one event and is meant to:
 Showcase and encourage inventors while assisting them in commercializing their creations  Encourage students in seeking careers in STEM disciplines  Display the technological product offerings and services of exhibitors  Sensitizing the general public on the effect of STEM on their lives.
The first edition held in October 2018 and one of the winners at that event was Nelson Emeka who invented the generator that runs of water. This was the 2nd annual edition and is carried out as zonal competitions before a grand finale in Awka.
WORLD SPACE WEEK – This is an annual celebration of space and its impact on humanity held internationally (80 countries and over 5,000 events) every 4th to 10th of October 2019. It sensitizes our population on space sciences and exploration which is a cutting edge field in STEM. The YSC through the Coordinator (Sr. Prof Bernadette Ezeliora) has organized World Space Week (WSW) in Anambra State and this is the 4th time it will hold concurrently with WSW. MOrek STEM Network has provided a support for the enhancement of WSW activities by the YSC since 2018 and we are glad to be their partners.

MOVING UP A BRIEF OF IN ACTIVITIES 2019
PRE EVENT ACTIVITIES AND ZONAL COMPETITIONS In 2019 the combined WSW and STEM fair Anambra held at the same venues. Between July and October 1st 2019, Over 210 education institutions in Anambra State were invited and 159 responded and entered for the events. We commenced with Zonal Competitions across the 6 education zones of the State with a drive to expose and interest children on Space Science as part of WSW activities at the grassroots, and select schools at the zonal level who will represent the zones at the finals.

WORLD SPACE WEEK At the Zonal level, various schools submitted applications and took part in
 Lectures on Space and Space Science (this included some power point presentations and videos) on subjects like The Moon, Rocketry, Nigeria and her Space program, Satellites Space Travel by Humans, Physical and natural properties of space.  Quiz on Space and Space activities  Science project, construction of a homemade telescope  Science project, construction of a satellite model
STEM FAIR Zonal Contest were focused on the inventions and creations by students in the various zones and the competitive capacity. We focused on their abilities and judged them. Activities included:
 Inventors and Innovators competition  Space Debate on the topic  Competition on Science Song
These combined events of World Space Week and STEM Fair took place with capacity attendance (over 300 people at each venue at the following locations:
 Aguata Zone (Community Secondary School, Oko) 2nd October  Awka Zone(Community Secondary School, Nawfia) 3rd October  Ogidi Zone(Anglican Girls Secondary School, Ogidi) 4th October  Nnewi Zone(Okoongwu Boys Secondary School, Nnewi) 7th October  Otuocha Zone (Michael Tansi Memorial School, Oko) 8th October  Onitsha Zone (Christ the king School , Onitsha) 9th October

The Zonal competitions allowed a grassroots and widespread appreciation of Space Science and Technology which will surely boost student interest and performance.
GRAND FINALE – On Thursday the 10th of October, the Grand Finale Held in Awka, Anambra State at St. John of God Secondary School. The event comprised of Inventors/STEM Competition Finals, Debate Competition Finals, Science Song finals and Quiz Finals. The MC of the Occasion who gave the opening lecture on Space was Engr Hillary Ezeilo, while Sr Prof Bernadette Ezeliora (Coordinator of Young Scientists Center YSC) gave the opening prayer and opening address.

WORLD SPACE WEEK FINALS:
1) The students of the famous Regina Pacis Secondary School (who gained world recognition and attention by coming 1st in the Technovation Challenge held in Silicon Valley USA 2018) gave a presentation on the features and science of the moon to the delight of the crowd. 2) A team of high level Astronomers came from the Center for Basic Space Studies (CBSS) led by Dr. Nnaemeka Onyeuwaoma and made presentations on Space Science, Satellites and Space careers. 3) The highlight of the event was attendance by a High power 10 man delegation representing the Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu led by Dr. Patrick Okwu (MD of ELDI, Abba), who gave his address and inspected the inventions and exhibitions. The Honourable Commissioner of Basic Education, Anambra State Prof Kate Omenugah led a delegation from her Ministry. Michael Orekyeh MNSE Coordinator of MOrek STEM Network and founder of STEM Fair Anambra led the dignitaries round to inspect the inventions, science projects and exhibitions which included several homemade telescopes, Remote operated Model Satellite (built by Shalom Science and Technology Academy (SSTAC), Enugu, model satellites and rockets and also the code programed remote car by Regina Pacis School Onitsha. 4) The Quiz Finals involved the schools who had qualified in 1st and 2nd position from the 6 Zonal competitions. The quiz was overseen by Engr. Hillary Ezeilo using of system of highest points at each rounds to determine the winner.
These activities gave the students a very rewarding experience on space studies and deepened their understanding and made them even more curious of space sciences especially as a career option. Hey were indeed very intrigued by the astronomers from CBSS and we may yet see our home grown astronauts and astronomers emerge after this competition in the State.
STEM FAIR ANAMBRA:
Activities for the STEM fair included
1) A panel discussion was held on the Technology development in Nigeria and STEM Careers prospects. The following were involved: i. Panelist – Dr. Williams Ebhota Acting Managing Director of the National Engineering Design and Development Institute , (NEDDI) Nnewi ii. Panelist – Amaka Ezeanwu of the Technical and Vocations Department Univeristy of Nigeria Nsukka iii. Panelist – Engr Mrs Helen Ifeanyichukwu of the Agricultural Engineering Department of the Federal Polytechnic , Oko iv. Moderator – Dr. John Paul Iloh… Head of Electrical Engineering Department COOU v. Moderator – Chuka Chkwura MD DevAmplify Hub, Awka 2) Inventors and Sciences Competition (we had about 41 entries that day and 6 exhibitors) and the delegation of the Minister of Science and Technology and the Commissioner of Education, Anambra were truly delighted by the great products and ingenuity placed by the entries which included Models, Moving machines and equipment, functional telescopes, music players, inverters, electronic quiz board, venture scrubber, aluminum atomizer among others. Among
those that really impressed the crowds were the Functional Robot and GSM/Remote operated Model Satellite (built by Shalom Science and Technology Academy (SSTAC), Enugu and the code programed remote car by Regina Pacis School Onitsha. Another highlight of the event was the High powered LED Torch light produced by Confidence Onwurum, a disabled young man (amputee) who came all the way from Owerri for the event. 3) In the Exhibition spaces – which were also inspected by the representative of the Federal Minister of Science and Technology the Honourable Commissioner of Basic Education were University of Nigeria Nsukka (with the 5 seat electric car, remote automotive electronic, inverter, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) were the most prominent stand. Other was the Department of Chemical Engineering of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka (NAU), Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), and Center for Basic Space Studies (CBSS) Nsukka and the Anambra STEM Stakeholders Forum with Dr. Chidozie Nowbi-Okoye mounting the stand. The Anambra State Materials Testing Laboratory (ASMTL) was also on hand to discuss their state of the art equipment and services with the public. 4) The Science Song Competition Finals – in this activity, children from schools were asked to come up with a catchy song that would be used as an anthem by the next time we host the Space Week and STEM Fair. This will heighten student interest in the study of science a and help us catch them young. The competition was held at zonal level and the finals took place at the Grand Finale of the contest.

Due to time constraints, and logistic s problems, the actual prizes will be given to the winners in a prize giving ceremony that will hold in Awka on the 5th of November 2019.

CONCLUSION
In all it was attended by 680 people with student from 38 primary and secondary schools in Anambra and Enugu States, 4 Universities, 3 Research Institutions, Government Agencies and the General public in attendance. The Media covered the event such as the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS) and the British Broadcasting Service (BBC). We thank God for a great outing and hope by his mercy to have a good event in October next year (2020). The organizers are also putting together other activities to encourage the winners of these events such as a Product Development training, to sharpen the business and technical skills of those with promising inventions.