The Philippines’ Kyle Coloma of Mandaluyong City Science High School (CMSHS) won the Popular Vote for the 2022 Breakthrough Junior Challenge Asia Regional Champion, sending him straight through to the finals.
Coloma is joined by fellow Filipino contender Jaz Villanueva of OB Montessori Center (OBMC) in the finals of the annual global competition of video explainers that challenge students to creatively explain a concept or theory in the life sciences, physics, or mathematics.
The 16-year-old Kyle Coloma topped the Popular Vote for the Asian region, joining 6 other regional champions of the global competition for high school students. The feat placed Coloma in the final round of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge, a tilt considered to be the Oscars of Science.
Eighteen-year-old Jaz Villanueva also made it through to the finals, joining Coloma and 14 other finalists chosen by the Selection Committee to compete in the final round that ends this November and awards $250,000 post-secondary studies scholarship, $50,000 prize for the teacher, and $100,000 for the Breakthrough Science Lab.
Both young Filipino contenders for the @brkthroughprize Junior Challenge – Kyle Coloma and Jaz Villanueva – are in the finals of the global tilt for creative science and math video explainers STORY TO FOLLOW via @GoodNewsPinas_ https://t.co/WPiVuryorp pic.twitter.com/00qj64jI7l
— Angie Quadra-Balibay (@AngieQBalibay) September 26, 2022
Coloma and Villanueva were among the finalists announced on September 21 after the Popular Vote for the Top 30 in the competition ended the day before.
Here are the 90-second video entries of the two Filipino students from Philippine schools:
KYLE COLOMA, Math
Grade 11 student Kyle Coloma’s entry in the Physics category explains Gauss’ Remarkable Theorem on Curvatures using a pizza slice, a potato chip, and a ball.
Kyle Coloma of the City of Mandaluyong Science High School explains Gauss' Remarkable Theorem on Curvatures in this video that made it to the Breakthrough Junior Challenge 2022 Popular Vote @brkthroughprize @MandaluyongPIO @GoodNewsPinas_ https://t.co/YH55LPB4w1
— Angie Quadra-Balibay (@AngieQBalibay) September 15, 2022
JAZ VILLANUEVA, Physics
Grade 12 student Jaz Villanueva’s entry in the Physics category explains why Einstein’s Theory of Relativity is incomplete.
Jaz Villanueva of OB Montessori Center explains why Einstein's Theory of Relativity is incomplete in this video that made it to the Breakthrough Junior Challenge 2022 Popular Vote @brkthroughprize @OBMCedu @GoodNewsPinas_ https://t.co/xhHIhKk5gM
— Angie Quadra-Balibay (@AngieQBalibay) September 15, 2022
The Breakthrough Junior Challenge is organized by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation and was founded by Julia and Yuri Milner as part of their Giving Pledge to support science and the communication of scientific ideas. It is supported by the National Geographic Channel Khan Academy, and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (Breakthrough Science Lab).
Jaz Villanueva and Philippine Science High School’s Francine Fabricante made it to the Popular Vote in the 2021 edition of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge. Fabricante went on to the final round.
Villanueva and Coloma are aiming to replicate the feat of Philippine Science Eastern Visayas Campus student Hillary Diane Andales who won the 2017 Breakthrough Junior Challenge, bringing home millions worth of educational prizes for herself and her school.
SEND CONGRATULATIONS in the comments below to Kyle Coloma of Mandaluyong Science High School and Jaz Villanueva of OB Montessori Center for getting through to the finals of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge!
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