JUNIOR high school students of the Ateneo De Manila University emerged as the champion of the first-ever Innovateur Interschool Science Investigatory Project Research Congress 2024.

The team was composed of Adrian Antonio, Enzo Balingit, Axel Recla, and Josh Reyes.

They claimed the victory for their research titled “Block through the Flocc: The Effectiveness of Using Banana Peels (Musa sapientum), Orange Peels (Citrus reticulata) and Apple Peels (Malus domestica) as bioflocculants in the cleanliness of the water in terms of pH, turbidity, TDS, and bacterial growth inhibition.”

Meanwhile, the group of Santi Cifra, Aedan Dela Rosa, Simone Marucot, and Ken Orata was the second runner-up for its project “No Scorn with Corn: A study on the effectiveness of pure corn (Zea mays) husk paper in terms of tensile strength (Pa), water permeability and fire resistance.”

Jan Machelle Dela Cruz and Hana Phylicia Garcia mentored the students, who served as their coaches.

Among the other schools that participated in the inaugural Innovateur Research Congress were host UST-Angelicum College, Trinity University of Asia, and Saint Louis University Basic Education School, which took the first runner-up plum.

Innovateur was held in the St Albert the Great Auditorium of UST Angelicum College in Quezon City last month.