PENAMPANG: Two best friends who scored 9A’s in their Form Three Assessment (PT3) are looking forward to upcoming projects that will benefit the environment and society.
Nojuel JC Soluku and Sonia Yashoda Baskaran Appakutty, both 15, will represent SM St Michael here to go to Thailand in February for an international programme on innovation.
The duo, who became close friends in Form 1, are on the same team to work on innovations that are eco-friendly.
Among the prototypes they are working on include Better E, which is a battery leaf base electrolyte and Go-Green pot made of egg carton and coconut husk.
They are also part of the Sabah Children Representative council members.
Nojuela will be one of the two representatives of the state to attend the nationwide council meeting next year to voice out issues on children as inputs for the National Transformation 2050 programme.
Beside innovation, Nojuela has also been active in conservation efforts and elected as a committee member of International Eco School Green Council.
“I learned a lot on sustainable development from other schools when I joined the five-day Eco-school International Conference in Sandakan last year.
“At my school, I will teach others on things such as making mud balls to clean rivers and eco-friendly fertilisers,” he said.
He said he had been involved in at least four environmental programmes in a month including when PT3 examination was near.
Nojuel said although it was not easy to juggle studies and extra curriculum, he believed that it was possible to excel in both.
He said he understood that development was important for progress but people should never neglect to protect the environment.