On 18th November 2022 the school management, teachers and pupils in cooperation with experts from universities organized the 3rd year of Student Science Symposium. The event took place at Gymnasium, Ul. 17. novembra 1180,Topoľčany. The aim of the event was to engage young people in research and discovery and to motivate them to active learning. It was also intended to teach them to understand man's dependence on nature on the basis of the gained knowledge. We wanted to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between nature, science and technology, to the popularization of science and to the protection of natural wealth.
The pupils'works and projects were in the form of presentations, posters (posters), spatial models, multimedia processing, etc. During the event, the contestants presented the results of their scientific work, explaining the work’s objectives, methods of solving the problem, their own results and findings and finally interpreting their own opinion on the issue. The pupils demonstrated not only excellent communicative skills and distinctive speech, but also responsibility and self-criticism. Pupils participated in expert lectures on performing unique laboratory analyses aimed at monitoring human and animal reproduction, the formation of blood capillaries or the issue of "curing" cancer. They learned about the results of science and research and how they can be applied in practice.
The pupils' scientific work was evaluated by our distinguished guests: Prof. Ing. Norbert Lukáč, PhD. with other experts from the Faculty of Biotechnology and Food Science, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra, Prof. Ing. Prof. Jozef Golian, PhD. and Ing. Michal Čelechovský from the Department of Hygiene and Food Safety of the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra. Furthermore, Mgr. Imrich Jakab, PhD. from the Faculty of Natural Sciences and Informatics of the Constantine The Philosopher University in Nitra, our project partner school Gymnasium, Mládežnícka 22, Šahy, our friends from Gymnasium in Otrokovice and many others were present at Symposium. Representatives of the Nitra Self-Governing Region and local government, members of the school council, class trustees and other friends of the school were also present at the event.
All the guests as well as the pupils of our school had the opportunity to vote for the best project. More than 60 pupils took part in the competition supported by their teachers. There were 22 research activities presented in the fields of science, humanities and environment.
Participants were able to see projects such as Biology in English,Searching for Ancestors - a demonstration of historical research, Railways ofTopoľčany and its surroundings, Power of Vacuum, Secrets of Red Basil, What Can Aluminium Do?, Water Quality activities and activities from the field of robotics and many more. At the end of the event, the Headmistress and the guests awarded prizes to the most successful student projects.
1st place - Germanisms in Slovak Language
2nd place - Insurgent Women
3rd place - Heart through the eyes of a biologist and a physicist
TheScientists' Prize was awarded to the projects ‘Heart through the Eyes of a Biologist and Physicist’ and ‘Distillation of Essential Oils’.
The Prize of the Headmaster of the Gymnasium Otrokovice was awarded to the projects ‘Insurgent Women’ and ‘Soil’.
The Headmistress awarded the projects ‘Fibonacci Sequence in Art’, ‘Magic Lightning and Robotics - Exploring the Speed Factor’.
We hope that the variety of activities and research presented will stimulate pupils' interest in taking part in the event next year.
