On Friday 26 June two Animal Care students from Capel Manor College won 1st and 2nd prizes of a National Landbased Science competition. Both Jasmine Johnson aged 19, from Borehamwood and Hugh Evans aged 24 from Enfield, scooped a healthy £500 worth of prize money each. The winners of the competition were chosen from a short list of finalists from across the country. Ten had to present a report on an animal related science project to a panel of judges that included celebrity Vet Joe Inglis as well as other renowned figures from the veterinary industry. Joe Inglis said,
“It was very exciting to be part of this competition and see what the future vets and animal scientists of this country can do. It’s great to support young students who want to go on to university and build a career in working with animals.”
The competition that opened to Level 3 Animal Care learners in November last year came to ahead last week at the Royal Vet College’s campus in Camden Town. Learners studying at landbased colleges nationwide had been invited to submit scientific investigation projects on an animal theme, and the best ten projects went on to the final. The winning categories were - Best Research Project, Best Presentation and Most Original Investigation.
Capel Manor’s Jasmine Johnson scooped 1st prize for the Best Presentation category and on top of her cash prize she also won £100 for the College. Capel’s Hugh Evans took 2nd prize for the Best Investigation Project. Jasmine said, “Considering I was nervous I feel my presentation went really well. It was a good experience - justifying and defending my work, and I’m really pleased with myself for doing it. I was amazed to win and really cant explain how pleased I am!”
Hugh Evans said, “Writing the scientific investigation went well as I chose to study a subject I am very interested in, but initially I wasn’t very confident about presenting it to the judges. I was really pleased to get to the final after seeing the high standard of the other entries and didn’t expect to do so well. The £500 will be very useful for going to university in September.”
Both students are about to complete their BTEC National Diploma in Animal Management courses at Capel Manor and were coached for their presentations by tutor and Animal Care lecturer, Tom Black. Jasmine will go on to study veterinary nursing at the Royal Vet College in September, and Hugh will be going to Nottingham Trent University to study Zoo Biology. Tom Black said,
“Both students have worked exceptionally hard on their projects from start to finish. Hugh spent many hours at the National History Museum meticulously measuring specimens and Jasmine many hours also in the laboratory working on her analysis. They both very much deserve the awards and I am incredibly proud of their achievements.”
The competition was the first of its kind and was coordinated by Capel Manor London’s leading landbased studies provider, with support from the Royal Vet College, Lantra, Edexcel and VETNET LLN. The overall aims of the competition were to showcase the scientific abilities of landbased learners, whist also promoting vocational qualifications as a progression route into higher education. Paul Bryant, Head of School for Animal Care at Capel Manor said,
“There are too few occasions that afford Level 3 vocational learners the opportunity to showcase their talents. By raising the profile of the vocational route in to studying Zoology, Environmental and Veterinary sciences at university, we hope to encourage universities to recognise that vocational qualifications are of equal value to academic ones.“
Other prize winners included Pendleton College (2nd Prize for Best Presentation category), Duchy College (1st prize for Most Original Investigation), Askham Bryan College (2nd prize for Most Original Investigation) and Bridgwater College (1st Prize for Best Research Project). All teams that made it to the final were issued with a book token and certificate of achievement. On the back of the success of this year the competition will run again in 2010.
Congratulations to all the winners and participants of the National Landbased Science Competition, and a big thank you to the competition sponsors, VETNETLLN, Edexcel and Lantra, and the Royal Veterinary College for their support in making this competition a great eventuality.
Best Research Project – Sponsored by VETNET LLN
The winners in this category were selected for the quality of their investigation; scientific rigour in planning and conducting their research; careful interpretation of their data and evaluation of their findings in relation to other published work; compliance with the conventions of presenting scientific work for publication.
1st Prize of £1000 was awarded to Caroline Northcott of Bridgwater College, Paignton, for her Project entitled: Biodiversity and the Beadlet anemone (Actinia equine) on Goodrington Middle Stone. (Caroline Northcott is pictured accepting her prize from TV Vet Joe Inglis and VETNET’s Sue Baddeley)
2nd Prize went to Hugh Evans, of Capel Manor College, for his Project entitled: A feasibility study of the phenotypic resurrection of Swayne’s Hartebeest (Alcelaphus buselaphus swaynei) from extant subspecies. (Hugh accepted his prize from Joe Inglis and Sue Baddeley)
Most Original Investigation – Sponsored by Edexcel
The winners in this category were chosen for innovative topics or approaches to conducting their research, problem solving or lateral thinking that show the true spirit of scientific inquiry.
The 1st Prize of £500 was awarded to Matthew Dennis of Duchy College, Camborne, for his project entitled: Studying the Optimum Living Conditions for Breeding Cranes in a Captive Environment. (Matthew is pictured with Edexcel’s Lesley Brook and TV Vet Dr David Taylor)
2nd Prize of £250 was won by Sally Dennis of Askham Bryan College, York, for her project entitled: Hunting and the Effects of Government Legislation on the Rural Environment specifically. (Sally is pictured with Lesley brook and Dr David Taylor)
Best Presentation – Sponsored by Lantra
The winners in this category were selected for attention to detail in presenting their findings and demonstrating their ability to explain, justify and defend their work to an audience.
1st Prize of £500 was awarded to Jasmine Johnson of Capel Manor College, for her project entitled: A Comparative Review of the Effectiveness of Anthelemintics on Nematode Populations in a Range of Animals. (Jasmine is pictured accepting her prize from Lantra’s Jonathan Pettit, RVC’s Professor Stephen May and Nottingham Trent University’s Professor Jenny Saint.)
2nd Prize went to Team “Pendleton Equine” - Hannah Walker, Louise Farnworth, Lauren Smith from Pendleton College (Salford College) for their project entitled: The Affect of Rugging Horses on the Circadian Rhythm of their Temperature. (Team Pendleton Equine is pictured with Lantra’s Jonathan Pettit, RVC’s Professor Stephen May and Nottingham Trent University’s Professor Jenny Saint.)
Standards were very high at this year’s final and the judges had a hard time deciding the winners.
Competitors who did not win a prize at the grand final, will be awarded a book token and certificate to acknowledge their fantastic achievement in getting to the final of this national competition.
We are pleased to announce that the National Landbased Science Competition will run again in 2010. Further details will be released at the start of the next academic year, but if anyone has any queries about the competition please contact joanna.clark-bould@capel.ac.uk
