Today EIT’s campus was buzzing with hundreds of school students. Young “scientists” from 26 different Hawke’s Bay secondary schools took part in the annual HB Science & Technology Fair. For 50 years the fair has been a highlight of the school year.

EIT has been a longstanding sponsor of the event. EIT staff also ran workshops and passed on their knowledge and skills. EIT senior lecturer Dr Amelia McQueen (photo) took some senior high school students to the Ōtatara Outdoor Learning Centre located above the campus, to learn about different flax varieties and how to identify them.

It was great to see the students getting passionate about problem solving, scientific investigations, science quizzes, chemistry competitions and the final display of their science and technology projects.

“We punch well above our weight, with more entries, sponsorship and prizes than you’d expect for a region of our size,” said Ben Himme, chairperson for the fair committee.

Next Thursday, 22 August, the winners of the fair will be announced at the prize giving where $10,000 worth of prizes are waiting for the best ideas and the brightest sparks.

The organising committee hopes to work with EIT again next year to offer more of these workshops to students from all participating secondary schools.