The Khomas Regional Science Fair was held July 15-17 at the Polythechnique of Namibia (the principal university in Namibia). Augustus having won the Teachers’ Choice Award at his school science fair in April qualified to attend. Over 250 participants showed up with their projects. For their efforts they received a t-shirt, box of CD-ROMs, and CD holder from the sponsors Kolok (Memorex distributor). Augustus was reluctant to go at first because he thought he’d be all alone in the cavernous examination basement of the Polytechnique, but he did encounter several people he knew when he went in to set up on the first day. He felt a great deal more comfortable returning the following day knowing that he’d have friends with whom he could at least chat.
On the evening of the third day of the event, the awards ceremony took place. The basement had been transformed into an auditorium and there were several hundred moms, dads and siblings in attendance. Fair officials indicated that they’d be as efficient as possible handing out the awards and they were true to their word. Our heads were spinning because children were called one after another with no indication as to what level or category. First the bronze medals were awarded—no Augustus Bates among them. Then, the silver medals were awarded and still no Augustus Bates among them. Finally, the gold medal was being distributed and the official called out OGOOSTUS BA-TEZ. Seeing that my child did not recognize his own name being called, no doubt because of the peculiar pronunciation of the Namibians, I shook his leg and got him to realize that he had gotten a gold medal. We laughed heartily that he didn’t even know he had won a medal until he got back to his seat.
All in all, I think he is pleased in retrospect that he spent a part of his break time doing “school work” while most of his classmates were vacationing. He has certainly racked up on the freebies that have been handed out at each level—t-shirts and the like. We’re not yet sure whether or not he’s qualified to attend the National Science Fair, but we’ll know shortly.
On the evening of the third day of the event, the awards ceremony took place. The basement had been transformed into an auditorium and there were several hundred moms, dads and siblings in attendance. Fair officials indicated that they’d be as efficient as possible handing out the awards and they were true to their word. Our heads were spinning because children were called one after another with no indication as to what level or category. First the bronze medals were awarded—no Augustus Bates among them. Then, the silver medals were awarded and still no Augustus Bates among them. Finally, the gold medal was being distributed and the official called out OGOOSTUS BA-TEZ. Seeing that my child did not recognize his own name being called, no doubt because of the peculiar pronunciation of the Namibians, I shook his leg and got him to realize that he had gotten a gold medal. We laughed heartily that he didn’t even know he had won a medal until he got back to his seat.
All in all, I think he is pleased in retrospect that he spent a part of his break time doing “school work” while most of his classmates were vacationing. He has certainly racked up on the freebies that have been handed out at each level—t-shirts and the like. We’re not yet sure whether or not he’s qualified to attend the National Science Fair, but we’ll know shortly.
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