This is the third straight year that Benilde was cited as among the top schools at the Quill Awards. RICARDO YAN III

The seventh edition of the Philippine Student Quill Awards recently honored this generation’s emerging student leaders, whose research and creative works met the global standards of the International Gold Quill and the International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) — Philippines.

University of Santo Tomas bagged its sixth consecutive School of the Year title followed by first-runner up De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB). University of Rizal System-Binangonan was hailed as the second-runner up.

DLS-CSB garnered seven Excellence Awards from Communication Skills entries “The Fair Fair PH” by Ma. Anna Cristina Perez; “En Route to Human Extinction and Modern-day Slaves” by Marlon Ecalnea; “Horizons: Coexistence” by Jan Kirsten Jardenil; “Sulyap sa Salita” by Margarita Azalea de Lemos; “Puno: Letters to the Sky (Papermoon Puppet Theatre x Karilyo)” by Jayrinne Isip; and “On the Fifth” by Therese Marie Torres.

Meanwhile, the college earned 13 merits for “Siya si Kat” by Alyanna Faye Joyce Nebreja for the Communication Training and Education classification; “Ways to Zero Waste (WOW)” by Daniella Paula Miralles under the Communication Management; and “Safety Starts With You” by Joan Liccud and DLS-CSB Center for Social Action (CSA) Core Volunteers; “Pride March 2018” video by Patricia Beatrice Tan; Pride March 2018 photo album and “Dekunstrukt: Stills” by Samantha Grace Regino; “The Benildean: Exploitation,” “The Benildean: Preservation” and “Dungis ng Perlas” by Brian Paolo Castillo; “The Benildean: Aftermath” by Therese Marie Torres; “Peace and Order Under Duterte: A Promise or Simply Rhetoric?” by Jose Taylo; “STAR 2018” by Jayrinne Isip and “Horizons: Orbis” by Alexei Lucas Trajano under the Communication Skills bracket.

High schoolers win big in robotics competition

Four senior high school students from Cavite National High School dominated the Entrepreneurial Category of Commercenter Alabang’s first-ever Robocon competition.

The young inventors took home a medal, trophy, Maker Uno Kit Arduino robotics pack and P9,000 worth of participation fee to the 2019 RoboRAVE International: Philippine Invitationals happening from 25 to 27 October.

The winning team for the Entrepreneurial category, composed of Aliah Sarmiento, Nell Ciria and Ann Repil, designed “Autohyver: Automated Hydrophonics Vermitea,” an autonomous hydrophonics system that features running water fortified with vermitea. It aims to improve the quality of cabbage that goes out to the market. With the nutrients that vermitea brings and the automation of watering, Autohyver minimizes the chances of overwatering, presence of pests and the lack of nutrient absorption.

Winning second place is Robotics Nation with its “Safety Aid for the Blind and Elderly in Roadside (SABER),” a cane for the visually impaired and senior citizens.

The other two categories in the robotics competition — SumoBot and a-Maze-ing — saw a total of 240 participants.

Princess Lorilla and John Morris Quinit of De La Salle Araneta University, John Razonado of San Nicolas III Senior High School and Mark Andrei M. Rivera of Bacoor National High School-Molino Main won the 1 KG, 2 KG and 3 KG categories of SumoBot, respectively.

The winners were successful in designing, building and programming autonomous robots that bested opponents in an elevated wrestling ring.

THESE high schoolers proved that they have the skills and smarts to create functional robots.

Cavite National Highschool students Philippe Rae Varias and Franc Benedict Solis, and La Sallians Fria Ysabel Leido and Magnus Jefferson ulnuan ruled the secondary and elementary categories of a-Maze-ing. This category challenged participants to finish a complex maze in 120 seconds.

“We congratulate the winners from all the different participating schools. We feel so lucky to have such bright young inventors in this country, and we’re honored that Commercenter Alabang was able to give them a platform to showcase their talents and skills in creating amazing robotic technology. We can’t wait to see these kids change the world with their inventions,” Leslie Tagle-Dinglasan, AVP for marketing of Commercenter Alabang, said.

In a bid to support the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) academic track of the country’s education program, Commercenter Alabang, the Southern Manila leisure and lifestyle hub, welcomed a total of 270 players from 130 teams from 25 elementary and secondary schools from Metro Manila and surrounding cities to this year’s Robocon competition.