In the gathering of high schools’ brightest minds across different provinces, Saint Louis University’s School of Engineering and Architecture Honor Society (SEAHS) set the stage for the 15th Inter-High School Brain Collision on the 24 of April 2024, at the SLU Ladies Dormitory. With 11 teams hailing from Benguet, La Union, and Isabela, their wits were tested through various categories ranging from mathematics, science, religion, pop culture, and even tech news. The event, coordinated by SEAHS, is the culmination of a month’s worth of preparation by members under various committees within the organization.
With the previous inter-high brain collision being nearly 5 years ago, excitement from the participant schools was fairly high as shown in their early arrivals. One by one, they trickled into the venue, brimming with anticipation and excitement. With the decorations in place, the contestants walk in, proudly representing schools. Once seated, various videos exhibiting SLU’s facilities, values, and perks are shown to the participants. A video showcase of SEAHS is also displayed, highlighting the achievements and successful activities of the organization.
Before the intellectual clash commenced, the participants were first given a tour of the various laboratory facilities used by the different courses of the School of Engineering and Architecture, each with respective course representatives to explain the functions of the equipment within said facilities. From the 4th floor of the Otto Hahn building to near Gate 3, the tour covered the different SEA facilities, from Civil Engineering to Chemical Engineering. The comprehensive tour aimed to inspire the contestants to pursue engineering by showcasing the different fields’ specialties.
At the strike of the 12th hour, the event properly begins with the opening prayer and singing of the national anthem led by Music and Symphony School of Engineering and Architecture (MuSiCEA). The masters of ceremony ensured a smooth flow between the various event activities, from the encouraging words of the opening remarks of the Dean of SEA, Engr. Jeffrey Des Binwag, to the introduction of judges and the transition to the reading of the contest mechanics. Finally, the teams are introduced as follows: A.University of Baguio Senior High School; B. Baguio City National Science High School; C. Agoo Kiddie Special School; D. Don Mariano Marcos Memorial State University – South La Union Campus Laboratory High School; E. Cordillera Career Development College; F. Cauayan City Stand-Alone Senior High School; G. Dr. Ramon De Santos National High School; H. Benguet State University – Secondary Laboratory School; I. Polytechnic College of La Union, Inc.; J. CAR Regional Science High School; K. Baguio City National High School; and L. King’s College of the Philippines.
Whiteboards raised by the table ushers, the contestants finally are able to bear their intellectual fangs. Each round, a corresponding quizmaster took over the reading of the questions and the interpretation of the contestants’ answers. After the easy round, an intermission of acoustic renditions of songs, accompanied with guitar, by the Dynamic of Arts-Music Ensemble School of Engineering and Architecture (DAMESEA) eased the minds of the contestants as a brief respite right before the daunting moderate round. After a switching of quizmasters, the moderate round continues just as smoothly as the previous, and then followed by the difficult round.
Baguio City National High School won as the champions, maintaining a solid lead throughout the rounds despite the ramping difficulty of questions. Baguio City National Science High School, on the other hand, managed to claw their way to a first runner up victory by scoring highly on the difficult round in particular. Taking the bronze yet nonetheless a victorious achievement, DMMMSU-SLUC LHS displayed a consistent performance across the rounds thus sealing their victory. The competition was truly a fierce battle, with the remaining teams having close scores with one another yet the three aforementioned schools emerged as the conquerors of the brain collision.
The champions of the event were interviewed right after the contest, where they gave interesting answers. With regards to their preparation, the team mostly accomplished self-studies, having only the equivalent of a day to review with one another. When asked the most memorable question in the brain collision, they stated that the question with the answer of “Of Course I Still Love You”, an autonomous spaceport drone ship of SpaceX, was the most memorable question. Finally, when asked about their experience within the competition, they stated that “the event was extremely smooth and overall we had a great time at the event.”
The 15th Inter-High School Brain Collision not only celebrated academic excellence but also directly contributed to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4 and 16, along with the CICM advocacy of peace. By promoting a culture of learning and critical thinking among students, the competition promotes SDG 4 (Quality Education) by ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education. Additionally, through peaceful competition and collaboration, it nurtures a sense of unity and inclusivity, aligning with SDG 16’s (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions) goal of promoting peaceful and inclusive societies. This advocacy for peace within the academic community echoes the broader mission of the CICM, further reinforcing the institution’s commitment to building a world characterized by peace, justice, and strong institutions.
As a whole, the event turned out to be a success, with the participants learning more whilst also showcasing their brilliant minds during the event. SEAHS also managed to display excellent use of teamwork, resilience, and innovation in order to make the most of the resources available to them in making the event possible. (Mavrick Acpal)
