A buding teenage scientist who devised eye exercises that help children with glasses see better is counting the days until she has dinner with Science and Technology Minister Naledi Pandor at Scifest Africa.
From its humble beginnings in 1997, Scifest Africa – which kicked off in the Settlers Monument building and surrounding venues in Grahamstown yesterday – has grown into the biggest science extravaganza on the continent.
Pandor will officially open proceedings on Friday evening.
Excited Welkom Grade 10 schoolgirl Kelly Jardim, 16, said she came up with the new exercises after her six-year-old cousin Diego Camara was given reading glasses to wear at school to improve his concentration.
She said young children spending long hours every day playing with cellphone gadgetry, social media and computer games were not properly developing their eye muscles as they remained glued to a screen in a stationary gaze.
She said playing games outside worked better for eye-muscle development as children changed their depth of view by looking at things all over the place.
“It really affected me when I saw Diego had glasses. He is so small and I thought he would get teased at school. Kids can be so mean.”
Kelly won VIP treatment at Scifest Africa, which includes dinner with Pandor and giving a guest lecture on her research, after she scooped a gold at the prestigious Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, which attracted thousands of entries across the country last year.
Kelly was one of five gold medalists at the expo shortlisted to give an oral presentation to Scifest Africa director Anja Fourie and other judges about their research.
She scored the highest marks and top prize of a dream trip to Grahamstown and dinner with Pandor for her efforts.
“I am really looking forward to dinner with the minister.
“I am so excited to be part of this experience.”
Kelly can hardly believe she will be “rubbing shoulders” with a top-flight team of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) scientists during her visit.
Instead of mentally preparing the sporty Grade 1 pupil for the possible teasing he would get, Kelly searched the internet for solutions to strengthen his eye muscles and then devised her own exercises using household items.
“I developed three of my own eye exercises, which parents can do with their children at home using everyday objects.
“They only take two minutes each, and they help a lot to improve eyesight so that children can concentrate better at school.”
The work with Diego had such an impact that the exercises have been rolled out at her school for 44 pupils in Grade R and Grade 1. She does quick daily sessions with them.
Scifest Africa media officer Steven Lang yesterday said Kelly’s achievement was “amazing for someone her age”.
“Most people never reach that level of inquiry.
“She has a truly scientific mind because she challenged our conventional wisdom, not accepting something we all believed was true.”
He said the fact that Kelly was the youngest lecturer on a programme loaded with top international scientists was a major boost.
“She will serve as an inspiration to thousands of young people who participate in Scifest Africa.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
Budding scientist’s eyeboggling dinner
From its humble beginnings in 1997, Scifest Africa – which kicked off in the Settlers Monument building and surrounding venues in Grahamstown yesterday – has grown into the biggest science extravaganza on the continent.
Pandor will officially open proceedings on Friday evening.
Excited Welkom Grade 10 schoolgirl Kelly Jardim, 16, said she came up with the new exercises after her six-year-old cousin Diego Camara was given reading glasses to wear at school to improve his concentration.
She said young children spending long hours every day playing with cellphone gadgetry, social media and computer games were not properly developing their eye muscles as they remained glued to a screen in a stationary gaze.
She said playing games outside worked better for eye-muscle development as children changed their depth of view by looking at things all over the place.
“It really affected me when I saw Diego had glasses. He is so small and I thought he would get teased at school. Kids can be so mean.”
Kelly won VIP treatment at Scifest Africa, which includes dinner with Pandor and giving a guest lecture on her research, after she scooped a gold at the prestigious Eskom Expo for Young Scientists, which attracted thousands of entries across the country last year.
Kelly was one of five gold medalists at the expo shortlisted to give an oral presentation to Scifest Africa director Anja Fourie and other judges about their research.
She scored the highest marks and top prize of a dream trip to Grahamstown and dinner with Pandor for her efforts.
“I am really looking forward to dinner with the minister.
“I am so excited to be part of this experience.”
Kelly can hardly believe she will be “rubbing shoulders” with a top-flight team of National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) scientists during her visit.
Instead of mentally preparing the sporty Grade 1 pupil for the possible teasing he would get, Kelly searched the internet for solutions to strengthen his eye muscles and then devised her own exercises using household items.
“I developed three of my own eye exercises, which parents can do with their children at home using everyday objects.
“They only take two minutes each, and they help a lot to improve eyesight so that children can concentrate better at school.”
The work with Diego had such an impact that the exercises have been rolled out at her school for 44 pupils in Grade R and Grade 1. She does quick daily sessions with them.
Scifest Africa media officer Steven Lang yesterday said Kelly’s achievement was “amazing for someone her age”.
“Most people never reach that level of inquiry.
“She has a truly scientific mind because she challenged our conventional wisdom, not accepting something we all believed was true.”
He said the fact that Kelly was the youngest lecturer on a programme loaded with top international scientists was a major boost.
“She will serve as an inspiration to thousands of young people who participate in Scifest Africa.” — davidm@dispatch.co.za
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