STEAM 2025 wows with renewable energy, recycled materials, food security innovations

Inventions that harness renewable energy, improve irrigation, and transform recycled materials into various uses were among the many innovative pieces displayed at this year’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Fair.

The three-day fair is being held at the Arthur Chung Convention Centre.

Creations from schools across the nation’s administrative regions were on full display as they vied for winning spots within their respective categories—primary level, lower secondary level, and upper secondary level.

In the lower secondary category, Mahaicony Secondary School showcased their impressive project titled “Magnetised Water in Agriculture Using a Shade House.”

Shaneka Wilson explained that her school’s team conducted months of research testing the benefits of magnetised water in crop cultivation.

Using an apparatus they developed, the team created magnetised water by passing regular water through a magnetic field. This process alters the water’s physical and chemical structure, removing harmful elements such as iron and carbon to aid faster germination and improve soil nutrient retention. Wilson noted that test results showed crops germinated and grew faster with magnetised water.

She added that the goal of her school’s project is to “improve sustainability and productivity in agriculture.” The miniature apparatus, she noted, could be scaled for large-scale farming to support the food production sector.

Representing Cotton Tree Primary School, Hadina Haniff and Supriya Singh were buoyant in their presentation of handmade antibacterial cleansers under the brand “Botanical Bliss.”

Haniff explained that all their products include natural ingredients designed for personal use to treat skin infections, ailments, and irritations.

The product line includes body scrubs, bath bombs, hand sanitisers, oils, and bath soaps made with ingredients such as turmeric, neem leaves, mint, daisy, and cucumber, among others.

Haniff swore by her products and vouched for their natural remedies, stating, “Even if other products did that (aid with ailments), you would still suffer with side effects because most of those products contain bad chemicals.”

In the upper secondary level, another standout project was Yarrowkabra Secondary School’s “Engineering a Greenhouse from Plastic Waste for Sustainable Agriculture.”

The school designed and built a walk-in greenhouse using various types of plastic bottles and plastic pipes to frame parts of the structure.

Tashanna Richmond told Ignite News that plastic waste is a major issue in Guyana, and repurposing that waste into something “beautiful and affordable” is an ideal way to address the problem.

She explained that the greenhouse is designed to allow just the right amount of rainwater and heat. “The bottles help to trap the heat inside so the plants wouldn’t get too much and wither up, but just the right amount. And if the rain falls, it (greenhouse) wouldn’t get too much water inside.”

Richmond added that her school’s agriculture department grows a variety of crops, and they plan to implement the new invention while sourcing more materials to expand their plastic bottle greenhouses.

This year’s STEAM Fair is held under the theme “Innovative Solutions through STEAM for Sustainable Development in Guyana.”

Assistant Chief Education Officer for secondary schools, Sherwin Blackman, said that over 186 projects from across the 11 education districts are on display. He noted that winning entries from regional fairs are represented at the fair across various school levels.

Additionally, several agencies—including the Guyana Marketing Corporation, the Education Ministry’s NCERD, the police service, fire service, and National Agriculture Extension Institute (NAREI), among others—are showcasing their innovations under the observer category.

The STEAM Fair is held every two years.

Tashanna Richmond

Tashanna Richmond