Effingham Heights Primary School pupils won the Standard Bank Kuunda Disrupt Competition for a project that blends environmental sustainability with cutting-edge technology. | Supplied
Durban — Excitement as Effingham Heights Primary School clinched first place in the Standard Bank Kuunda Disrupt Competition recently, with a remarkable project that blends environmental sustainability with cutting-edge technology.
Hosted at the Gordon Road Girls’ School, the competition saw participation from 19 schools, each vying to showcase their prowess in STEAM education—an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.
The winning team, named “The Recycling Rangers”, comprised 12 pupils who developed the Smart Eco Bin, a recycling waste bin powered by a versatile microcontroller, the Raspberry Pi with integrated sensors.
The Smart Eco Bin stood out for its originality, functionality, and practical real-world application, which left judges impressed, said the school.
Critical to this victory was the unwavering support and guidance from V. Venkatas, the school’s Coding and Robotics Educator. Her expertise, patience, and inspiring mentorship were pivotal in encouraging the team to explore new possibilities and push their creative limits.
Principal of Effingham Heights Primary School, Logan Pillay said: “We are incredibly proud of our students' achievement, which demonstrates their dedication, teamwork, and innovative spirit.”
“This victory highlights the importance of STEAM education and underscores our students' readiness to shape the future.”
The competition was designed to stimulate young minds towards exploring various facets of STEAM, while fostering creativity in robotics and coding. According to Pillay, the collaboration with the Standard Bank Mentor, Mr. Singh, further enhanced the initiative, providing essential support and expertise that was integral to the team's design and execution.
As champions of the Standard Bank Kuunda Competition, Effingham Heights Primary School was awarded a 3D printer, propelling their journey in coding and robotics excellence even further.
Head of Department at the school V. Mohangi said they are thrilled to see their pupils excel in this prestigious competition.
“This achievement is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our students, educators, and mentors.”
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