28 May 2025
A group of Fife primary school pupils are on their way to becoming scientists of the future after winning a fantastic crystal growing competition organised by Fife College.
The annual competition saw 733 pupils from 15 primary schools participating in groups of five. Each group was given six weeks to grow their crystals from 100g of potash alum provided by the College, with Kirkcaldy North Primary School emerging as the winning team, with their stunning, green-tinged crystal.
Their prize included a £50 voucher for the school and a unique ‘STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) Day’ at Fife College, which included a laboratory session, lunch, prize-giving ceremony, and tour of the Glenrothes Campus.
During the laboratory session, the pupils enjoyed watching some fun visual experiments led by College staff, including loud explosions and ‘elephant toothpaste’. They also enjoyed a tour of the science department’s cutting-edge analytical analysis laboratory, plus the chance to look at crystals under the microscope and make their own ‘putty’. The day culminated in the pupils being presented with a certificate and goodie bags from College Principal, Jim Metcalfe.
Liam Coakley, Curriculum Manager for Science at Fife College, said:
“We’re all aware of the STEM agenda and the importance of encouraging pupils as young as possible to become interested in science.
"The crystal-growing competition is a great example of this and one that has proved once again to be a great experience for the pupils and their teachers. Kirkcaldy North faced some tough competition this year but emerged victorious with their beautiful crystal.
"We loved seeing the pupils so engaged and excited during their visit, and hope to have inspired them to pursue a career in STEM in the future!”
For more information about Science courses available at Fife College, visit our course pages here.
