The Valdivia Adventist Academy has reached first place in the Basic Education category at the sixth National Valdiciencia School Science Meeting, organized by the prestigious Austral University of Chile.

In this outstanding contest, which included the participation of more than 40 Elementary and Middle School education institutions from all over the country, the project presented by students Francisco Torres Vidal, Maximiliano Imio Villarroel, Belén Fierro Aguayo, Antonella Apablaza Durán and Juan Ruiz Urbina, together with his advisory professor, Carlos Villalobos, rose as the winner.

About the Project

The project, entitled "What the garbage cans say about the type of food consumed by students from second to sixth grade at the Adventist College of Valdivia," innovatively addressed the relationship between child feeding and the obesity index, a problem relevant today.

Students compiled food wrappers and organic waste from school dumpsters and carried out a thorough analysis that revealed significant conclusions about students' eating habits.

The evaluating judges praised the project's structure and methodology, highlighting its simplicity and well-established scientific approach. Dr. América Metzdorff, one of the evaluators, highlighted the importance of children developing scientific skills from an early age and recognized the quality of the work presented by the Adventist College of Valdivia.

Results

The research's conclusions revealed shocking data on students' food consumption, underscoring the need to promote a more balanced and conscious diet.

The project showed that healthy foods were not consumed during recesses, and processed foods with high calories and saturated fats were present.

Due to this outstanding achievement, students, together with their advisory professor, have the unique opportunity to represent the school at the International Meeting of School Science Expo-Sciences in Recife, Brazil, with all expenses paid.

This recognition reflects the effort, dedication, and excellence of the Valdivia Adventist College team in scientific research.

The original article was published on the South American Division Spanish website.