The Naturgy Foundation transforms the 2nd Efigy Technology Competition into an online and interactive event with participation of around 400 students from schools around Spain
14–16-year-old children are called to present their projects, which, in addition to the judges’ score, will be open to a popular vote through social networks.
30 schools from the following regions are taking part in this new edition: Aragón, Asturias, Castilla-La Mancha, Castile and León, Catalonia, Madrid, Region of Valencia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, La Rioja and Navarre.
The Naturgy Foundation has transformed the 2nd Efigy Technology Competition into an online and interactive event as it cannot be held on-site due to the COVID-19 health emergency. Around 400 students from 30 schools are invited to participate in the latest edition of this competition, which will conclude with a gala streamed online and presented by science teacher Luis Quevedo.
The Foundation has converted the students’ confinement at home into an opportunity to work online in a new way, enabling them to develop new skills in the field of technology.
This year, the final stage of the competition will be replaced by the audiovisual presentation of the finalist technology projects and a ceremony which will be streamed on 21 May at 5.30 pm via www.fundacionnaturgy.org. At this final event, the semi-finalist groups, Foundation representatives and the judges will be connected. The judges will be able to ask the students questions to clarify the explanations given in the project videos.
As in the first edition, the event will be led by the science teacher Luis Quevedo, who has already spoken to the participating groups via video to encourage them to present the outcome of their work.
“In light of the current situation, we have completely restructured the final stage of this initiative, in recognition of the time and effort many of the students have spent developing their projects over the year,” explained María Eugenia Coronado, managing director of the Naturgy Foundation. “We are convinced that the students will demonstrate not only their skills in the STEM disciplines, but also their technological capabilities in an increasingly digitalised world,” said Coronado.
The Foundation has improved the financial reward to encourage participation in the grand final “because we understand that the quarantine represents a greater challenge for the students”, added Coronado.
Audiovisual defence of the projects
During the school year, a total of 65 groups of 14–16-year-old students have been working on projects with their teachers, and now they need to prepare presentation videos so these projects can be assessed. The students come from 30 schools in 11 autonomous regions: Aragón, Asturias, Castilla-La Mancha, Castile and León, Catalonia, Madrid, Region of Valencia, Balearic Islands, Canary Islands, La Rioja and Navarre.
Another new aspect this year is the popular vote, which can be performed via the Foundation’s social networks from 12 to 17 May and which will be added to the judges’ scores. The judging panel will consist of representatives from Naturgy, the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology (FECYT), which is part of the Ministry of Science and Innovation, and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC). These two bodies have thus renewed their support for this competition.
In September, the Naturgy Foundation launched the second edition of the Efigy Technology Competition, at the same time as the start of the school year, in order to continue in its aim to promote energy efficiency values and encourage young people to pursue technology professions.
To take part in the competition, students must resolve a challenge that will contribute to improving the planet through energy efficiency. This educational activity aims to motivate and raise awareness and interest in energy, strengthen the research ability of young people and inspire curiosity and creativity, while developing teamwork and communication skills.
The Efigy Technology Competition is part of the Efigy Education programme, which the Naturgy Foundation uses to provide students and schools with an extensive educational catalogue. In light of the health emergency, these resources have been made available for free online on the Efigy Education digital platform.
The work of the Naturgy Foundation in education has recognition and collaboration from leading institutions in the fields of education and research, such as FECYT and CSIC, as well as the Department of Education in the Region of Madrid and Barcelona, among others.
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