The second edition of the Lower Silesian Chemistry Competition, organized by Wrocław University of Science and Technology, one of Poland’s most prestigious technical universities, is now behind us. Teams from 27 secondary schools took part in the competition. Rafał Ryżewski and Bartłomiej Słobodzian, students of the Janusz Korczak II General Secondary School in Bolesławiec, placed third in the first stage. In the second stage (only 10 teams advanced), they finished just outside the podium.
“First, we had to solve a multiple-choice test,” Bartłomiej explains. “We had 30 minutes for 20 questions, including calculation problems, which took quite a lot of time. All the competition participants left the room somewhat stunned,” he adds. “One of the organizers said that even WUST students would have trouble with some of the problems,” Rafał adds.
The teams that advanced to the second stage had the opportunity to visit the Museum of Wrocław University of Science and Technology. As it turned out, this was not accidental. “The problems we solved in the final were unusual. They tested not chemical skills, but above all logic and creativity. There were also questions about the history of WUST,” Bartłomiej says.
The team from Trzebnica won the competition. The next two places went to teams from Wrocław secondary schools. The duo from Bolesławiec’s II LO came fourth. “We showed that our school knows not only how to have a great time [rozmawialiśmy 2 października, kiedy odbyła się uroczystość z okazji Dnia Pierwszoklasisty – przyp. „ii”], but also how to learn exceptionally well,” emphasizes Ewelina Kałużna, a chemistry teacher.
“I am very pleased with the successes of our students and teachers,” says Mirosław Sakowski, head of the school. “The II LO team outperformed many renowned schools, not only from Bolesławiec, but from throughout the province.”
(information: ii)