The SJWP is open to young people between the age of 15 and 20, who have conducted water-related projects focusing on local, regional, national or global topics of environmental, scientific, social or technological importance. The Stockholm Junior Water Prize consists of two parts: the National Competition and the International Final. All participating countries start off arranging their own National Competition. The winner proceeds to the International Final held at the World Water Week in Stockholm.
For the 2014 Hungarian National Competition 13 entries have been received. Altogether 31 secondary school students were involved, including individual contestants, two and three member teams as well. The projects were written in English, according to the requirements of the call and dealt with different topics, like surface water bodies, groundwater, karst water, drinking water, industrial pollution, acid rain, local issues and global challenges as well.
Jury chaired by Professor László Somlyódy member of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences screened all projects using the same criteria as for the international final in Stockholm (Relevance, Creativity, Methodology, Subject Knowledge, Practical Skills, Report and Presentation). Other members of the jury included leading experts of the Hungarian water sector. The jury selected five entries for the national final held on 31 May, 2014 in the premises of Millenáris park, Budapest (the venue of the Budapest Water Summit 2013).
The finalists were requested to prepare an A0 poster per team displaying the results of their project. During the final the contestants orally presented their main findings and answered to the jury's questions. Approximately 15 minutes time per team was allocated. Presentations and interviews were conducted in English.
The winner is a team of three students of the Eötvös József Secondary School of Tata (a town in north-western Hungary) Claudia Li, Livia Mayer and Nicolett Sebestyén. Their project – assisted by their teacher Zsuzsanna Zubor – "Our Water Is Our Future" deals with a topical issue: the habits of drinking water, rising international awareness to the proper water consumption. The applied method of them is creative, the use of web based questionnaires is innovative.
The paper shows a good planning and precise preparation, as well as correct interpretation of the questionnaires. It widens the focus towards an international level involving other European secondary school students in the framework of a Comenius Programme. The project also touches the Tata city tap water quality, providing background for the study.
The second place won "Disappearing Water - The Decrease of Groundwater in Naszály Mountain" project by Lili Kenéz, Alma Móritz and Petra Party. The third place went to Izabella Petró for the project "Hungary, the Queen of Europe’s Water". All finalists received diplomas and recognition on stage.
The winner team will represent Hungary in the international final that will take place during World Water Week 31 August - 5 September 2014 in Stockholm, Sweden.
The following financial and professional partners supported the SJWP 2014 in Hungary: MAVÍZ Water for Life Foundation, GE Water & Process Technologies, Budapest Waterworks, Hungarian Wastewater Association, Public Utility Evaluation Cluster, Grundfos, Hauraton, Ministry of Interior, Hungarian Hydrological Society, Hungarian Water Utility Association, Budapest Zoo, Danube Museum, Ministry of Human Resources, eisberg, Millenáris Park.
Photo credit: GWP Hungary