Four Nigerian students emerge winners of American university global award

Akpan Umoh, Uyo

Four Nigerian students of Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha have emerged winners of the University of Delaware Global Award for secondary schools during semi-final competition in the country.

The Nigerian team from Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha, emerged seventh in the overall competition held virtually and received a cash prize of $1, 500 and promissory of international mentorship for 10 years.

The Nigerian team competed along with students from the Republic of China, United States of America Singapore, and other nationalities.

Head of Communication, House of Diamond Community Initiative, Mr Ifiok Bernard, partners of the University of Delaware Global award, said this while briefing newsmen in Uyo on Thursday.

According to Bernard, 21 teams across the country entered for the competition, and Queen of the Rosary College, Onitsha emerged winner.

He said that the four students, who made the country proud are: Iwuno Chisom Vivian; Nnaji Mmesoma Stephanie; Okechukwu Amara Racheal, and Okoye Chidimma Maryjane.

Bernard said the representatives of the Queen of the Rosery College came first in the competition after presenting an invention called, “Queen’s Lab app”, a virtual science laboratory which would enable students interested in sciences in the senior secondary one to three, to study experiments with ease.

The head of communication added that apart from the $1,500, the University of Delaware, United States of America also presented a cash award of $250 to the winners.

He noted that the competition was meant for secondary school students to boost the entrepreneurial spirit in teenagers.

“Diamond Challenge is a high school entrepreneurship competition. It is a competition that brings teenagers from their classes between JSS 3 and SSS 3, who are vested with innovative business ideas together.

“It is not only students with ideas, but also those who are currently running their ideas.

“The competition provides entrepreneurship education, funding to winners, platform where they can access materials to grow their businesses, seasoned professionals where the young people can link with to expand their ideas.

“Diamond Challenge is far beyond textbook knowledge; it stretches beyond classroom aptitude. It tests for creative innovation that will solve tangible world problems,” Ifiok said.

He said that this year’s competition became the third time the University sponsored the competition in the country.

He regretted that due to insecurity in the country, the competition could not hold in one of the northern states as was initially planned.