Mumbai/Delhi: Twelve students were announced Student Icons of India at the iKen Scientifica 2011-12 National Finals organised by Mexus Education. The winners will represent India at the International finale against students from 10 participating countries. Based on the belief that every child is a born genius, iKen Scientifica is a unique competition that provides a platform for students of classes 4 to 9, to showcase their innovative ideas by exploring and experimenting with scientific theories and concepts through hands-on learning techniques.
 
At the competition children were seen having a blast as they were divided into teams of two or four as per the activity at hand. Children participated in primarily three activities called ‘Think, Create, Narrate’, ‘Live Walker Robot’ and the ever so famous ‘Angry Birds.’ The excitement and eagerness on children’s faces were unmistakable and they enjoyed themselves thoroughly. It was hard to tell if they were competing or enjoying with a game of mechanic. In Think, Create, Narrate, children were tested on analytical skills, spontaneity, performance skills and team spirit of students. In Live Walker Robot tested the conceptual knowledge as well as practical skills of the students and Angry birds tested the practical applications of physics through a strategy based game.
 
Speaking about this unique platform, Mr. Saurabh Saxena, Director, Mexus Education, said, “iKen Scientifica is all about creativity. It is a complete curriculum on a helpful and exciting subject called Design and Technology – a curriculum designed to tickle young minds into developing a problem solving and creative, inventive bent of mind; something that is never taught either in school or in college.”
Supplementing the competition, iKen Scientifica Workshop provides the opportunity for students to experiment and experience real-world situations beyond the classroom. Participants are challenged with unique problem statements that they can resolve by applying theoretical understanding of concepts in a hands-on way.  The unique problem statements cover topics like design technology, mechanics, scientific concepts, model making, sustainable development etc.

Commenting on the educational objective, Mr. Saxena added “At iKen Scientifica workshops, we hope to encourage out-of-the-box thinking and provide an ideal environment for students to have freedom to think, innovate and apply theoretical knowledge while gaining critical life skills like working in a team, leadership, negotiation and persuasion skills. We intend to scale-up and conduct these workshops under the iKen Scientifica banner across India and internationally as well.”

About iKen Scientifica
The iKen Scientifica competition is a confluence of diverse ideas and talents across a given region or territory. It brings a challenging spirit among participants, where the competition serves as an incentive to develop holistic learning capabilities within a child. Designed to nurture “scientific approach of life” at the age which the most appropriate to acquire it, iKen Scientifica offers young India the platform to ideate and innovate and compete at an International level. It is not just a competition but an alternative learning environment that captures the learning interests of students and channels them towards more productive and guided means. The iKen Scientifica competition comprises of four rounds: city level, state level, national and the International Finale.