GeoQuiz 2010

The UP Geological Society (UP GeoSoc) held its annual quiz show entitled “GeoQuiz 2010: Diversifying our Knowledge of the Third Planet” last October 2, 2010, Saturday, jointly at the UP NISMED Auditorium and the National Institute of Geological Sciences (NIGS) Audio-Visual Room. The GeoQuiz is an earth science quiz show in which high school students engage in friendly competition about basic earth science, geology, and current events related to geology. This event is sponsored by Philex Mining Corporation, represented by Vice President for Exploration Ms. Redempta P. Baluda. In celebration of UP GeoSoc’s 53rd anniversary, this year’s quiz show’s theme is mainly on what GeoSoc termed Geodiversity, which aims to introduce the various branches and disciplines of Geology and the Earth Sciences to the secondary level, and to show how the geologist contributes for national development. The program was hosted by Conchitina Cleofe Yu and Jigo Mismanos.

This year’s GeoQuiz, now inviting private schools alongside public and science high schools, was contested by seven teams, with four students per school. The participants are the Holy Spirit School, Pasig City Science High School, Sta. Lucia High School, School of the Holy Spirit of Quezon City, St. Paul College Pasig, Rizal National Science High School, and University of Santo Tomas – Education High School. The first part of the quiz show was a one-hour individual written examination.  Then the participants went on to the team competition wherein they underwent three rounds of competition, with ten questions each round.  The judges of this year’s GeoQuiz were Dr. Ma. Luisa G. Tejada, NIGS Associate Professor, Ms. Catherine C. Abon, NIGS Instructor, and Ms. Redempta P. Baluda, VP for Exploration of Philex Mining. After a catered lunch prepared by Heart Angela’s Food Shop- NIGS Canteen, the students participated in a High School Workshop held in various rooms in NIGS.

The awarding at the NIGS Seminar Room was spearheaded by Adriann A. Vasquez, then UP GeoSoc Academics Committee Head and GeoQuiz 2010 Event Coordinator, and John Dale B. Dianala. All seven schools received certificates of participation, while trophies and cash prizes were given to the top three schools. Rizal National Science High School, Overall Champion, triumphed over other schools with a cumulative score of 232.75 points, while Sta. Lucia School and University of Santo Tomas - Education High School garnered Second and Third Place with 231.25 points and 205.25 points, respectively.  The top three schools received P10,000, P7,000, and P5,000 in cash prizes, respectively.

            As a continuation of the objectives of the GeoQuiz, UP GeoSoc aims to invite more schools and allow multiple teams per school for its next quiz shows. 

- Adriann Vasquez