Katikati College wins science prize

Forty schools from throughout the country entered a competition, which ran during March and April. Students had to observe and monitor koura in local waterways and enter their results into an on-line database on the EMAP website.

All entries won part of the $5000 total prize pool, with major winners receiving $500 packages. Some of the prizes included dissolved oxygen kits, conductivity meters, a digital camera and koura artwork.

The annual competition encourages students to monitor and report back on the health of their local freshwater environment and is sponsored by BOC Gases Ltd and Read Pacific Ltd.

By entering what they found in the on-line database, the students helped to build a national record for koura distribution, which indicates how healthy the waterways are.

“As well, the students got to experience hands-on, practical science and understand how it applies in the real world and the actual issues our environment is facing,” says competition co-ordinator Rebecca Goffin.

A YouTube video documenting three year nine students’ search for koura (freshwater crayfish) has helped them win a top prize for Katikati College in a national science competition.

With the help of science teacher Hilary Johnson, Morgan Jack, Savana Woodcock and Courtney Russell went searching for koura in local streams on World Water Day, 22nd March.

Their video, and the results they gathered, were included in the school’s entry in the Environmental Monitoring and Action Project (EMAP) Koura Kraze competition.

The school won the top secondary school prize and Ms Johnson was also named most enthusiastic teacher. The school also won a spot prize for “best muddy class photo in the field”.

Ms Goffin said Katikati College’s entry was “quite amazing”.

“They have entered before, and every year they surprise me with just how much effort they put into it.”

Their prize of $500 worth of water monitoring equipment, to help with future science projects, includes a dissolved oxygen kit worth $250.

Six pupils from Waima School, Kaikohe, have also won a top prize in the competition for their photo of a koura (fresh-water crayfish).

The photo shows a smiling Marama Akuhata proudly holding a 9.5cm koura, discovered during a search for the native invertebrates.

The pupils entered the shot as part of their portfolio of five photos in the national Environmental Monitoring and Action Project (EMAP) Koura Kraze competition.

With parent Clinton Warmington they spent the day scouring Ngati Huna and Hawera Streams for koura. The winning photo was judged best of the more than 30 photos of koura entered into the competition, which also included secondary schools.

Their prize of $500 worth of equipment to help with future science projects includes a digital camera.

Mr Warmington said the win was “really great news” and the children were “pleased to know they’ve been rewarded for the effort they put into this project.”

Students from Southland’s Knapdale School have won a prize by making models of koura (fresh-water crayfish) out of marshmallows and carrots.

The 42 students, from new entrants to year eight, made the models as part of their winning entry.

They were named top primary school, winning $500 worth of water monitoring equipment as a reward for their inventiveness.

Led by teacher Mary-Jane Crutchley, the school’s entry also included a Power Point display, posters, several photos of koura found on field trips and a comparison between two different waterways – Dolamere Park and Gold Creek.

“They really got into the spirit of this competition,” says Ms Goffin.

“The children put in an enormous effort, and while we suggested schools might like to make models of koura, we thought that making them out of marshmallows and carrots showed incredible creativity.”