A Senior Secondary School Student of Starfield College, Lagos, Miss Aduragbemi Sanyaolu, has emerged the first runner-up in the ITGEN Robotics Competition for SSS students held in Lagos on Saturday.
The competition featured finalists from six secondary schools including Starfield College, Honeyland College, Baruwa Campus, Viscum College, Chessington College, Joen College and Riverside College.
According to a statement made available to PUNCH Online on Monday, each contestant was given 40 minutes to come up with a robotic design that sought to bring about a solution to a societal problem.
At the end of the 40-minute exercise, the panel of judges selected the best three projects based on problem identification and solutions that best identified the challenges among participants.
Reacting to the victory, Sanyaolu whose robotics project was on the effects of bullying among secondary school students, said she chose the topic as a result of the rising wave of bullying in schools.
She said bullying has a lot of psychological effects on pupils which often leads to loss of concentration and fear.
She urged victims of bullying not to keep quiet but to speak out so they could be counselled and the perpetrators brought to justice.
The star prize winner, Ugbaji Testimony from Honeyland School, Baruwa Campus, was presented with a cheque of N200,000 while the first runner-up, Sanyaolu from Starfield College won a bedside fridge and the second runner-up, Stephanie Humphrey from CiscumCollege won a rechargeable fan.
The organisers said the ITGEN Robotics training programmes are designed to ignite students’ interest in technology and engineering.
‘‘Our curriculum covers everything from basic mechanics to advanced programming, equipping students with the skills to innovate and excel in the future of robotics. Join us to build, program, and explore the possibilities.
“ITGEN also hosts exciting national competitions to inspire creativity and skill-building across all educational levels.
‘‘Primary schools can participate in the ‘Fastest Fingers’ competition, while secondary students tackle the ‘ITGEN Creative Challenge.’ Not to be left out, teachers vie for victory in the ‘ITGEN Football Challenge.’Join us to compete and excel,” the statement added.
Speaking at the prize presentation to the assembly of students on Monday, Principal Starfield College (senior school) Mrs Sarah Oyinloye, while congratulating Sanyaolu for bringing glory and honour to the school, urged other students to put in their best in whatever they do.
“Sanyaolu has proved that with determination, nothing is impossible. For weeks she toiled day and night, sometimes sleeping as late as 3am to emerge victorious in the competition.
“She kept on pushing hard, engaging her Robotics teacher and asking relevant questions where she wasn’t clear. Today, she has the result to show for her efforts,” she said.
She challenged other students, saying there is a gift deposited in everyone and all that needs to be done is to identify that talent and build on it.
