Stars and STEM Stories

GLOBE Saudi Arabia Cloud Competition

GLOBE Saudi Arabia recently held a cloud competition, inviting all GLOBE students in the country to increase their knowledge of clouds by observing them and submitting their best photos and videos. 

The most important breakthroughs in science have come about through observation -- the first step in the scientific method -- and this event celebrated the results of students’ careful observation.

The event was organized in three stages:

• The School Stage: Schools announced the competition for students to submit their observations and a committee was formed to judge the event. 1,428 students from 230 schools in Saudi Arabia participated in the competition, from which 700 were selected to advance to the next stage.
• The Educational Department Stage: The Student Activities Department formed a committee of judges who reviewed the entries sent in from the schools.  These judges chose the best three from each school. This narrowed the pool to 244 participants.  These 244 moved on to the next stage.

• The National Stage: The GLOBE team within the Ministry of Education received works from educational departments from all over Saudi Arabia.  These were sorted and then sent to the judges at Al-Liath City (the judges were from King Abdulaziz University, Umm  Al-Qura University and  educational departments in the Makkah Region), who choose the best 15 works from 15 boys and 15 girls, in one of these two categories:

1. Intermediate School Students: Panoramic Photography
2. Secondary School Students: Time-lapse Videos

On 10 February 2016, the final stage of the competition took place in Al-Liath City.  Students were able to participate in many activities planned by the Students’ Activities Department at the Educational Directorate in Al-Liath. The Governor of Al-Liath, Mr. Muhammad Al-Qabaa, opened the competition exhibition.  The opening also included remarks by other dignitaries and a video presentation by GIO Director Dr. Tony Murphy.  The event continued with a tour of the exhibition where the winners' videos and photos were displayed; visits to the National Aquaculture Group and Planetarium, as well as a cruise around the shores of Al-Liath.  The day concluded with an evening cultural event.

The focus of day two was the closing ceremony, held in the presence of the Governor of Al-Liath, Mr. Muhammad Al-Qabaa; Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Haya Al-Awwad; Director General for Students’ Activities, Mrs. Reem Abu Alhassan; and the Director of Education at Al-Laith, Mr. Marey Al-Barakati.  

Mrs. Norah Al Nasser, GLOBE Country Coordinator, reported that this event was organized by the Ministry of Education in cooperation with the Educational Directorate at Al-Liath.  She also extended her thanks to His Royal Highness, Prince Khalid al-Faisal; the Minister of Education, Dr. Ahmad Al-Essa; Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Haya Al-Awwad; Director General for Students’ Activities, Mrs. Reem Abu Alhassan; the Director of Education at Al-Laith, Mr. Marey Al-Barakati; and his assistants.  Al Nasser also thanked the Students’ Activities Department at the Educational Directorate at Al-Liath. Moreover, she expressed appreciation for Dr. Hadi Bahari (the former GLOBE Country Coordinator in Saudi Arabia) for his effective leadership.

For a wonderful video of the Saudi Arabia Cloud Competition, click here.

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