Organised by the Otu Ehulu Fulu Ibusa Women Society in partnership with Creative Future @Nigeria and imperial College London.
Date: August 15-18th 2022, at the Gov. Okowa Multipurpose Hall Ibusa
The four-day creative workshop in skill development of young students especially in STEM (Science, Technology, Art Engineering, Mathematics) was attended by 100 students from 6 Ibusa public secondary schools. Also, in attendance are, 8 principals& vice Principals,15 teachers from the various schools and 8 volunteers. Alongside were some members of the Otu EhuluFulu Ibusa women Society and some dignitaries from the local government office and some Ibusa illustrious sons and daughters, among whom are.
The LG Chairman, represented by the vice Chairperson, Ambassador Uju Okolo, LG secretary, Austen Ajufo, President General, ICDU, Commorade Onowu Victor Uchuno, Odua of Ibusa, Onowu Tony Uwajeh, Secretary, ICDU, Dr. Mrs. Prisca Okeleke Principals, Vice Principals and teachers of the participating schools.
The Creative Futuree@Nigeria has been developing students of elementary and secondary schools across various countries including Jamaica and Nigeria for consecutively six years now through this successful initiative with over 2000 students (ages of 9 to 13 years) benefiting. The Creative Futures@Nigeria extended this creative initiative to our Ibusa children through its partnership with the Otu EhuluFuluWomen Society under the Committee on Students’ Enlightenment chaired by Pharm. Mrs. Vera Adigwe Nwanze.
The program was a week-long STEM workshop to inspire school children to study STEM subjects in Higher education. It provides opportunity for the students to learn many 21st Century Skills such as Critical Thinking, Creativity, Collaboration and Communication. They did this by participating in several workshops on STEM subjects lead by world leading experts in the subject, Dr.Sunday Popoola
The structure of the event was fixed. “Creative Futures: Achieving Your Potential” and had 100 students within the age of 10 -13 years in attendance. The focus of the student experience was helping the students to use their FOUR-C thinking: Critical thinking in order to work Collaboratively and Communicate their Creativity while working in a team (4Cs).
The first day of the week of *Creative Futures STEM 2022 workshop in Ibusa*Achieving Your Potential. * Started with a flag off ceremony of the event by the speech from the ChairPerson/ Team Lead of the Otu EhuluFulu Student’s Enlightenment, development & Mentoring Committee, Pharm Mrs. Vera Nwanze .She set the tone of the event with expectations from the students to learn as much as they can from the workshop, apply the learnings going forward and pass it on to those who were not fortunate to attend. Her speech was then followed by the welcome address from the President of Otu Ehulu, Enyi Phil Okonkwo who was unavoidably absent and ably represented by the Vice President, Prof. Ngozi Iloba.
The Local government Chairman, Hon. Innocent Esenwezie, ably represented by his Vice, Amb. Uju Okolo and the Secretary, Austen Ajufo also gave their goodwill messages. Thereafter the goodwill messages from PG ICDU, Onowu Victor Uchunoand the Odua of Ibusa, Onowu Anthony Uwajeh.
They all appreciated the members of Otu Ehulu Fulu led by Enyi Philo Okonkwo for bringing such an initiative to the town and encouraged the students to learn from this week workshop to achieve their future potential.
The participating schools comprises of, Omu Boys, St Thomas’ College, Ibusa Girls, Achalla Mix, St. Augustine College and Ibusa Mix.
After the speeches, *Dr Sunday Popo-Ola* made an introduction to the students narrating the idea and importance of the 4Cs: *Critical thinking, Communication, Creativity and Collaboration.* He then introduced the students to *Fun Engineering* where the students were taught how to build an advanced paper planes, which can fly longer and faster than normal paper planes. Post lunch break, the students wereintroduced to *Neuroscience: The Science of Smell and Taste* and demonstrating how colour influences smell using 5 different flavoured soft drinks and 1 unflavoured clear drink, 3 students from each school took part in the experiment, while the others were observing with keen interest.
The blindfolded students tasted the drinks for identification without smelling them before tasting, thus most students misidentified the drink types.
However, when the experiment was repeated by allowing the students to first smell the drink before tasting it, more students were able to identify the correct types of drinks. This is because when we perceive flavour, our tongue is doing just a fraction of the work: *our brain combines what the tongue tastes with what we see, hear, feeland smell. *
The exercise teaches the students how to carry out self-directed investigation and *how to think critically and logically, * to make relationships between evidence and explanation.
*Day 2 of the Creative Futures@Ibusa:* Achieving Your Potential_ workshop* had the students exposed to *Technology and Mathematics* part of STEM. They were thought *Computer Technology, Identifying Hardware Computer-parts and Software.*
The morning session was occupied with learning about *Artificial Intelligence, Robotics, DIY Drone and Gesture Technologies.* The students worked in groups of 10 students by building robots, and automated structures. This demonstrated an amazing knowledge exchange between human and machine. The students were very happy with what they built in few hours. The session ended with a general knowledge quiz.
During the afternoon session, the students were introduced to the idea and importance of the 4Cs: *Critical thinking, Communication, Creativity and Collaboration* by first getting them to *interact with Alexa* by posting many questions to Alexa and getting perfect answers. It thereafter continued with *Technology and Mathematics* lead by *Mr Dipo Oladepo* and *Mr Mohammed Hammed*
Both instructors introduced the students to fun and interactive online coding using *Scratch and Python,* It teaches them all the basics of application such as: *making an object moves, make sound, talk and change appearance.* This knowledge also demonstrated how programming and technology works with everyday life. To demonstrate these cool features, *two students from each group were given the opportunity to create a video, space game and music video. * They all took turns to play the games written by them during the session and interact with the videos. Finally, a quick quiz was done to recap* on all that the students have learnt during this session.
The third day of the Creative Futures@Ibusa 2022* Achieving your Potential,
Dr Sunday Popo-Ola made an interactive introduction of *Structural Engineering of Bridges* to the students and explained the reasons why *Enginers can save more lives than Medical doctors *
The 100 students were grouped into *12 teams of 8/9 students each. They were tasked to *design, draw and build a Bridge using Paper Straws and Glue gun. Most groups made good progress on completing the design within 2 hours and later went on to start building the Bridge after lunch. 80% of their Bridge constructions werecompleted at the end of the 3rd day. We hope all will be completed on the final day and ready for testing. The tower with the *highest efficiency ratio,* (i.e. light weight but strong enough to carry more load than its self-weight) will be declared the best Bridge.
The students thereafter had to listen to 2 role model speakers namely, *Mrs Juliana Nzeamaka, President of National Council of Women Society* and *Pharm. Vera Nwanze, Chairman, Student”s Enlightenment, Development & Mentoring Committee of Otu EhuluFulu* Both of them shared their life stories with the students and encouraged them to remain focus, stay on a straight and narrow path in achieving their potential.
The highlight at the end of the day was the impromptu *BUGA dancing competition* between the students
120 back packs ( with mathsset, Otu EhuluFulu designed exercise book and pens included ) were given to each participating students and their teachers and Principals
*5 STEM education kits* given to Schools
*1 Drone* given to a School
*3 ipads and 3 desktop computers* given to Teachers and Schools
The last day started as normal with *Mr Ayodele Popoola* doing his usual work out exercise with the students. The students were reminded about the importance of the 4Cs: *Critical thinking, Communication, Creativity and Collaboration* to inspire them to achieve their potential. The students were grouped into 6 groups according to their schools, each group ranging from 14 to19 students. *Mr Gabriel Okonkwo* made an introduction to the day’s workshop of designing and building a series of items which includes *Sign Lettering, Solar Oven, Solar Stand and Cup Holding Device. * Each group were asked to sub-divide themselves into 4 sub-groups based on their knowledge and ability to deliver the 4 tasks listed above. After sketching out their ideas, the group were given cardboard, papers, balsa wood sticks, and cellotape for the construction of their items listed above. *All groups produced an amazing design in such a short time. *
After lunch break, the Bridges built by the students build on the 3rd day were completed and tested on the final day. The bridge with the *highest efficiency ratio, * (i.e., light weight but strong enough to carry more load than its self-weight) was declared the best bridge.
All the 12 Bridges were weighed. *The lightest bridge was 67g while the heaviest bridge was 91g.* They were tested using water bottles in a cardboard box. Each water bottle weighed 500g and the cardboard box weighed 161g.
The winning team *(Group 11) * weighed 80g but took water loads of 17 water bottles (8661g) before the bridge collapsed. This is an *efficiency ratio of 108%. * The bridge was able to carry load which was *108 times the self-weight of the bridge.* The second best Bridge had an efficiency ratio of 100 and the third 94. All the 12 bridges tested had an efficiency ratio of over 49 and all except 2 were able to carry over ten water bottles before failure occurred. The three best bridges were given a trophy award for their engineering effort. *All the teams maximised the use of cross-bracing members in the making of their Bridges.
It was interesting to note the excitement shown by the students during the testing with each group wishing their Bridge to carry more water bottles than the other groups. The students demonstrated healthy competition between each group.
Observations showed that the pupils have made good improvement in the use of their *4Cs thinking skills* developed during the week. The students and teachers feedback also showed they benefited from the workshop. Each student received a *Certificate of Attendance* and a *Green backpack with Exercise book and Mathematical set* at the end of the workshop. Also *3 Ipads and 3 computers were donated to the teachers, schools and library. * Each of the schools was given a *STEM Education kit or a drone* to help the students continue developing their STEM knowledge.
The students also had some mentorship from the following.
Pharm. Mrs. Vera Nwanze, Mrs. Patricia Uwajeh, Dame Mrs Ifeoma Odume, Mr Austin Ajufo, Secretary to Oshimili North LGA, Pastor Tito, Special Adviser to the Chairman LGA and Mr Emma Amatokwu (AKA Kwasa) who covered the event.
All of them spoke well and encouraged the pupils to work hard on their studies. They also helped to present the gifts to the students and schools.
Some comments made by the students and the teachers shows the workshop has impacted the lives of so many Ibusa children and the Otu Ehulu Fulu will remain indelible in their minds.
Some testimonials below: Most of the people now say –
"Otu Ehulu Fulu is synonymous with Ibusa continual community development."
"I like this workshop because I learnt how to do bridge and many other things. The food they gave us as lunch is very delicious"
“I learnt that we should not follow bad friends and always believe in ourselves”
When the students were asked if they looked forward to the workshop next year, they shouted unanimously; “We want the workshop thus year again”.
I use this opportunity to appreciate all the Guests that made out time to attend and inspired the students especially the Chairman LGA for his support to Otu EhuluFulu as always, the PG ICDU, Onowu Victor Uchuno, the Odua of Omeze, Onuwu Anthony Uwajeh. The principals and teachers who organised the students and also participated in the workshop. My committee member, Lolo Mrs. Pat Uwajeh and the members of the Otu Ehulu Fulu who represented the entire members of the group in persons of Prof. Ngozi Iloba, Dame Ifeoma Odume, Mrs. Patricia Nnabuife, Pastor Mrs. Ify Izagbo.
Due to the value addition of this workshop to the students and the schools, we hope to replicate the workshop on a yearly basis going forward.
