Ghana shines in STEAM International Tournament - Team collects gold, silver, bronze
Numbering almost 60 children from ages 12 to 17 years, the Ghana Olympiad Academy qualified a team that embarked on a journey on December 5, 2023, from Accra to Dubai, Jakarta and finally to Bali (Indonesia).
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The team for the international competition was accompanied by some parents and teachers who chaperoned the children from the beginning to the end.
The children were selected from DPS International, Ghana Christian High International School, SOS-Hemann Gmeiner College, Dakris International School and Jireh International School.
Organised by Abel Ohene Acquaye, CEO of the Ghana Olympiad Academy, and his staff, the team was accompanied by yours truly.
Improvement
The team won 34 medals, which comprised individual awards and group projects.
The competition this year was a definite improvement on the previous year, where Team Ghana secured 20 medals in Singapore.
In addition to the numerous medals won by Team Ghana in this year’s competition, two students from Delhi Private School International (DPSI), Bill Martey Quaynor and Shrirang Chandankhede, secured individual gold medals and earned the prestigious title of global champions in Grade 9 and Grade 10/11 categories, respectively.
STEAM International Tournament
STEAM International Tournament (SIT) was founded by Henry Ong to meet a strong global demand for talented students to fit the needs of corporations and businesses.
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Hence, SIT offers a great initiative to identify talents for various organisations by helping to prepare talents globally.
Bill Martey Quaynor and Shrirang Chandankhede with their trophies
Singapore International Mastery Contests Center (SIMCC) and Scholastic Trust Singapore (STS) were founded by Henry Ong and his team.
The various competitions include: one, the Vanda Science International Competition; two, Design Thinking with Robotics and Computational Thinking International Competition, Singapore; three, the International Art Tournament; four, the American Mathematics Olympiad (AMO) and or Singapore and Asian Schools Math Olympiad (SASMO).
Ghana Olympiad Academy
The Ghana Olympiad Academy was pivotal in ensuring the success of Team Ghana at STEAM AHEAD 2023.
The academy played a crucial part in preparing the students for the rigorous challenges they would face, providing them with the necessary resources, mentorship and exposure to a diverse range of STEAM disciplines.
Additionally, the Academy facilitated the entire travel process from securing visas to coordinating logistics both in Ghana and Bali.
This comprehensive support eased the burden on the parents and students and also allowed the students to focus on their preparations without the distraction of travel-related concerns.
The academy's commitment to nurturing young talent was clear in the well-rounded preparation that Team Ghana received, reflecting not only in their academic achievements but also in their personal growth.
For the students, participating in STEAM AHEAD 2023 was not just about winning medals but also about broadening their horizons, gaining exposure to different cultures and forming connections with like-minded peers from across the globe.
The opportunity to showcase their skills on an international stage has undoubtedly opened doors for future collaborations.
Team Ghana's exceptional performance demonstrated the dedication of the students, the guidance of the Ghana Olympiad Academy, and the support of the schools involved.
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As the participants return home with their medals and newfound experiences, the impact of their journey is sure to resonate in their future endeavours, contributing to the continued growth of Ghana's presence in the global STEAM community.
Teacher training
The various teachers had the opportunity to be engaged in a teacher training session that was offered by Prof. Tan SunTeck from the School of Computing, National University of Singapore.
He engaged participants in the area of Design Thinking with Robotics and Computational Thinking.
It involved: one, Introduction to Competitive Programming; two, How to encourage participation; three, Nurturing Computing Excellence; and four, Mind Reading and others.
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Another workshop was offered by Femi Ardianingtias of William Soeryadjaya Academy, Indonesia, in the area of Group work and Team tasks.
(Shadrach Quainoo and Richard Senyo contributed to the column).
The writer is a trainer of teachers, leadership coach, motivational speaker and quality education advocate.
E-mail: anishaffar@gmail.com