Valerie Evans Science Award
During the academic year 2015-16 the Science department at KNGS has been working with Birmingham Soroptimists. The Soroptimists are a group which are dedicated to ensuring all women reach their potential. The Valerie Evans Science Award was this year awarded to Lucy Clarke (K3) for her passionate essay about Rita-Levi Montalcini, an Italian scientist who worked on Nerve Factors and won the Nobel Prize for Science. Lucy’s prize was the Valerie Evans Rose Bowl trophy which was awarded to Soroptimist Valerie Evans before her death. Valerie Evans was enthusiastic about encouraging women to have a full and varied science education. The Rose Bowl trophy will be kept in the Schools trophy cabinet, each entrant received a certificate and gift voucher with the aim of them using the voucher to further their studies in science. The runners up were Rebecca Lane, Charlotte Bice and Emily Cornford.
On 4th October, the Prize winners Lucy Clarke, Emily Cornford, Charlotte Bice and Rebecca Lane were invited to a meeting of Birmingham Soroptimists. The girls, their families and Miss Crewe were welcomed by the members to their meeting at Queen Alexandra College in Harborne. The girls took centre stage at the meeting for about 30 minutes, during which time they were asked to speak about their entry into the Valerie Evans Rose Bowl and received questions from the audience of members who were very supportive of the girls and interested to hear about the scientists chosen and the influence that the project has had on their interest in science. The girls were applauded loudly by the audience and left the meeting feeling rightfully very proud of themselves.
The competition will run again this year for Year 10 girls to enter. Look out for more details in future newsletters.