Prempeh College and Simms SHS students win DStv Eutelsat Star Awards competition
Over the past few months, young children across Africa have been writing and submitting essays or posters for the DStv Eutelsat Star Awards competition 2016. “The DStv Eutelsat Star Awards, which started in 2011, is a competition requiring students between the age of 14 and 19 to write a creative essay or design a poster on a specific scientific topic.
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This years’ topic was ‘Take yourself into the future as a scientist, tasked with designing a new-age satellite that will help improve the lives of Africans. Tell us what you would call your satellite and describe the different functions and roles that it would play in the Africa of the future.’
Out of the several entries received in Ghana which were meticulously reviewed by the judging panel headed by Former Education Minister and Journalist, Elizabeth Ohene, columnist and blogger, Francis Doku, and PR/Corporate Communications Manager of Multichoice Ghana, Nii Amah Dagadu, a student of Prempeh College, Emmanuel Gyekye Atta-Penkra’s, had his essay being adjudged the best from Ghana whilst John Kwame Dom of Simms Senior High School’s poster came tops.
The selected Ghanaian winners’ entries will be submitted for final adjudication in Lagos, Nigeria. These entries will compete against other finalists from the other participating countries including Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Uganda and Nigeria for the ultimate prize of Continental Winner.
The panel of judges is led by former astronaut and French Minister, now special advisor to European Space Agency’s (ESA) Director General, Claudie Haigneré, who will be looking for creativity, originality and innovation in the scripts and posters submitted by the countries.
According to Nii Amah Dagadu, PR/Corporate Communications Manager for Multichoice Ghana, the overall essay and poster winners will be eligible for a once in a lifetime trip for two to Paris, France, to visit Eutelsat Satellite Facility, with the essay winner travelling onwards to see a rocket launch into space
Runners-up will also win a trip to South Africa to explore several sites as guests of Multichoice Africa, the statement concluded.
Schools attended by the country winners will also receive a DStv installation, including a dish, TV, decoder and free access to the DStv Educational Bouquet.
