Leyte student upbeat of winning global Breakthrough Challenge

PALO, Leyte, Nov. 2  – The only student from the Philippines shortlisted on the Breakthrough Junior Challenge is upbeat of winning the global science competition.

Hillary Diane Andales, 18, Grade 12 student of the Philippine Science High School Eastern Visayas Campus has stepped up her online campaign with the help of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) to USD250,000 scholarship grand prize.

Andales joined the competition online with her three-minute short film entry about Physics. She made it to the top 30 last year.

The student needs at least 300,000 likes and shares to be assured of a slot in the top 6. The deadline for voting is Nov. 2 and the announcement of winners is on Dec. 4 via Facebook live and National Geographic Channel.

Out of more than 6,000 entries from 146 countries, Andales, a native of Abuyog, Leyte, bagged a coveted place, one of the 30 semifinal spots in the Breakthrough Junior Challenge where students “make a short film about a big idea in science or math.”

“I explained through medium an idea called Relativity and The Equivalence of Reference Frames.

Maybe some of you have heard relativity about Albert Einstien the theory that makes him famous. I explained in simple terms about what we observe are always relative, it always depend on the observer,” Andales explained to reporters on Thursday.

The Junior Challenge began in 2015 and aims to recognize “that the biggest breakthroughs start with an insight, a new way of looking at things,” according to Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy.

It was launched in order to showcase the scientific knowledge of the world’s young leaders in development, and also to promote science awareness among the general public.

The entrants must display skills in science communication and must be able to simplify complex ideas into basic terms. Their videos are evaluated based on four criteria: Creativity, Difficulty, Engagement and Illumination.

The sole winner of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge will be flown to the United States to accept the award along with a USD250,000 scholarship, a USD100,000 science lab for the winner’s school, and a USD50,000 award for the winner’s teacher. (SQM/with Mikaela Angelica A. Ramirez, Christine M. Quimbo, OJT/PNA)