JEDDAH — For many, summer is a time of fun and games, but for the 110 students enrolled in the Mawhiba program, summer was a time for learning. The students were selected from various schools throughout Jeddah and attended a three week training and educational program sponsored by the King Abdulaziz & his Companions Foundation for Giftedness & Creativity. The conclusion of the program was held at Dar Al-Thikr School, in which a science exhibition was held to display the individual achievements of the young participants. Each young scientist explained and demonstrated his invention to the audience, which consisted of teachers, parents, and students. 12-year old Usama Basaeed announced that his invention was dedicated to a special group of people - the physically challenged. Usama had designed and constructed a lightweight trash bin mounted on a set of wheels that could be moved around by a remote control. This bin could come in handy at home or in schools by individuals with physical disabilities. Other inventions included a unique alarm system for homes, which was designed to prevent robberies and ward off potential burglars, a sensor equipped with a siren that could be easily attached to the front bumper of a car in order to prevent two cars from coming dangerously close to one another, a proposal which installed drainage pipes on a miniature model of Jeddah that could collect excess water in case of floods and redirect the water to a place where the water could be safely disposed of or used to hydrate plants. Both teachers and parents in the audience were visibly impressed by the inventions of the students who had successfully come up with practical solutions to real problems. Mohammad Ba'asheera, Director of Mawhiba said, “The summer gifted program extends for three weeks with a daily schedule of nine hours, five days a week. The majority of the time was focused on practical work, hands-on learning and experimentation rather than theoretical teaching. By the end of the program, the students developed a total of 17 different science projects and inventions.” — SG
