School students from across Queensland were presented with a range of awards as part of a national annual Hermitage Schools Plant Science Competition last week.
SCOTS PGC College, Glennie Heights State School and Freestone State School were the schools on the Southern Downs that received recognition on the day.
Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said the science and art entries in this year’s competition were exceptional and gave great hope for the future of science and agriculture.
“These aspiring young scientists have learned about plant science, food technology and native foods, and how this applies to developing nutritious and delicious fresh produce,” Mr Furner said.
The competition’s Art in Agriculture section linked to the Hermitage Research Facility’s 125th-anniversary theme ‘agriculture through the ages’, and saw students create a mosaic depicting a native food or food system that has sustained First Nations people for thousands of years.
Students participated in private mosaicking workshops with local Warwick artist, Christopher Hulme, for the chance to have their entries recreated and installed in the larger mosaic piece created by Chris earlier in the year.
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Awards received by Freestone State School:
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‘Native Foods’ Plant Science Project Awards Section
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QUT Most Outstanding Poster Awards:
• Winner: Year P-2 class
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Joe Baker Outstanding Achievement Awards
• Winner: Dominic Walker, Year 2
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John and Chris Purdie Young Science Investigator Award
• Winner: Violet Trigg, Prep
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Year P-2 (Individual/team results)
• Highly Commended: Darcy Coy, Prep
• Highly Commended: Madison Bond, Year 1
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Year P-2 (class results)
• Overall Class 1st Prize: Year Prep to 2
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Year 3-4 (class results)
• Overall Class 2nd Prize: Year 3 to 4
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Art in AgRiculTure Awards Section, entered by Years 3 to 6
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Most Outstanding School
• Winner: Freestone State School
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Year 3 individual award
• Winner: Thomas Christensen
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Year 4 individual award
• Highly Commended: Charlye Maher
Charlye also won a workshop with artist Christopher Hulme to recreate her artwork, which was then displayed in the Mosaic installation at the Hermitage Research Facility’s Roadside Information Hut.
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Year 5 and 6 group award
• Highly Commended: Freestone State School
