Great gongs for young Southern QLD plant geneticists

The best of the best among budding young plant breeders have been recognised in the 2011 Hermitage Research Station School’s Plant Science Competition.
At the July 28 awards ceremony, prizes were won by students from Killarney State School, Monogorilby State School, Murray’s Bridge State School (Junabee), Pilton State School, Biddeston State School and a Gayndah home student.
Killarney State School came overall first place in the Years 8-10 section and Year 10 student Tori Faithful won the AIAST Junior Achievement Award.
The prestigious Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation (DEEDI) competition is open to students from Years Prep to 12.
Under the 2011 competition theme “Are You a Gene Genius?” prizes were allocated over each year category including trophies, medallions, science books and kits and certificates.
The top prize was the Paul Johnston Memorial Senior Science Award. The winner, Gin Gin State High School’s Ella Wherritt, received a part scholarship from the Paul Johnston Memorial Trust to the value of $1000 for the purchase of reference materials for her tertiary studies. The runner-up, Kathryn Eller from Mt Gravatt State High School, was awarded a 12-month subscription to a scientific journal of her choice, valued at $500.
The competition began in 1997 to engage students in the science agriculture sector.
This year, 94 schools from Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria registered. The competition also attracted its first international interest from an educational organisation in Saudi Arabia.