Friday, March 29, 2024

“Experience the Power of Plants” at SPHS Science Fair

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From coconuts to carrots to coffee beans, the healthy benefits of Belize’s plants were creatively demonstrated at San Pedro High School’s (SPHS) annual Science Fair on Friday, April 29th. The Angel Nuñez Auditorium showcased thirty-three vibrantly decorated booths that focused on this year’s theme of “Experience the Power of Plants.” SPHS is never short of talent, whether it be sports or academics, and these students showcased their creativity and uniqueness. The SPHS student body, teachers, parents, and community members visited the different booths, evaluating, and critiquing each group’s performance.SPHS Science Fair Plant Power-22
Belize is known for its abundance of exotic plants, fruits, herbs, and roots which have many healing properties. Students excelled at utilizing the array of flora that are readily available in the country for their projects. Each group brainstormed brilliant ideas, and came up with products in the form of teas, juices, oils, food, and pastries. The ultimate purpose of these products was to help boost the immune system, support weight loss, reduce hypertension, cholesterol, anemia, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.SPHS Science Fair Plant Power-4
A booth that represented the healing properties of Aloe Vera shared a quote from Thomas Edison, “The doctor of the future will no longer treat the human frame with drugs, but rather will cure and prevent disease with nutrition.” For centuries, society has heavily relied on prescription drugs as the “go-to” remedy. However, students claimed that the intake of alternatives such as all-natural, organic products can alleviate harsh side effects and has been proven to cure ailments, diseases, and even cancer.SPHS Science Fair Plant Power-2
Other students opted to create beauty products like perfume, facial masks, shampoos, and soaps, while others ventured in formulating a sustainable plan for Belize. Some of these innovative projects included “Belize Plantain Electricity”, which used plantains to provide a renewable form of electricity for rural areas, “Electro Limes”, which generated charges from limes to form electricity, and “Rainbow Tree Power Plant”, which created water paints from plants.SPHS Science Fair Plant Power-21
Students from other schools were inspired by the high school students’ efforts. “The school is trying to help to prepare our students that are in primary school to get them familiar with what is expected from them at a high school level. This is a great learning experience for their future,” commented Russ Novelo, a standard six teacher from San Pedro Roman Catholic School.SPHS Science Fair Plant Power-25
The winners of the 2016 Science Fair were announced on Tuesday, May 3rd. In the senior category, coming in at first place was ‘Noix de Cocos’, which used coconuts to add shine and softness to hair.
Second place saw ‘Belize Plantain Electricity’, as they produced electricity from the trunk of the plantain tree. Coming in at third was ‘Papaya Power’, which uses papaya leaves to aid the digestive track. Papaya Power recently won 1st Runner up at Sagicore’s Visionary Challenge in March 2016. In the junior category, taking first place was Acceleripe, while Herbal Healers took second place, and “Gingering” took third place.

Congratulations to all of the students who participated in the Science Fair and the staff for making the Science Fair a huge success!

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