THREE teams composed of high school and elementary students from the MMSU campuses in Batac and Laoag City won in the National Mathematics, Science, at Kalikasan (MathScieAKa) competitions conducted by the Philippine Society of Youth Science Clubs (PSYSC) UP Diliman, Sept. 20.

Kim Keith Ortal, Laicah Joyce Aguilar, and Julianne Lyra Manzano, all fourth year students of the Laboratory High School-Science Curriculum (LHS-SC), emerged champion in the Bracket 2 of the interactive on-the-spot workshop activities which consisted of 15 stations wherein the students solved problems. Each correct answer earned them a maximum of 100 points.

“They have earned an accumulated 1,057 points which made them the overall champion,” beamed Mignon Cecilia S. Diego, a faculty member of the LHS-SC who served as their coach.

On the other hand, Audrey Nicole Danao and Marc Lawrence Rivera, both Grade 6 pupils at the Laboratory Elementary School (LES) in Laoag City, also garnered the championship title in the Bracket 1 of the same competition category, while twins Lance Matthew and Hans Joshua Farinas, also Grade 6 at LES in Batac City, landed second place in the same bracket and category. Their coaches were Julius Pumaras and Jayferson Panilo, respectively.

Julianne Lyra Manzano is the daughter of Dr. Virgilio Julius P. Manzano Jr. of COE who is now in the United States for a Fulbright scholarship, while the Farinas twins are grandsons of Dr. Antonio Farinas of CAFSD.

Meanwhile, the MathScieAKa is one of the events in the celebration of the National Science Club Month (NSCM) which usually falls in September and spearheaded by the PSYSC. Through this event, young students get actively involved in the science clubbing movement and, at the same time, promote public understanding of science, technology, and the environment (ST&E). The NSCM also serves as a venue for interaction among science club members from various regions in the country. PSYSC is the umbrella organization of all science clubc in the country.

This year, the PSYSC aimed to simplify the complex discipline of health sciences with the theme, “Immunation: Arming science clubbers with healthful defenses towards national wellness.” This way, the students are equipped with relevant information about the health science and its branches such as epidemiology and pharmacology, food and nutrition, and public health.