Ghana shines in STEAM International Tournament

Team Ghana 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 5^th December 2023 from Accra to Dubai, Jakarta, and finally to Bali (Indonesia). There were about 25 participating countries, including Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines. 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.

Organized 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 demand globally for talented students to fit the needs of corporations and businesses. Hence SIT offers a great initiative to identify talents for various organizations by helping to prepare talents globally.

Singapore International Mastery Contests Center (SIMCC) and Scholastic Trust Singapore (STS) were founded by Henry Ong and his team. The various competitions include: one, Vanda Science International Competition; two, Design Thinking with Robotics and Computational Thinking International Competition, Singapore; three, International Art Tournament; four, 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.

As the participants return home with their medals and newfound experiences, the impact of their journey is sure to resonate in their future endeavors, 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, four, Mind Reading and others.

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).