Greenfield School 8th Graders strike Gold Award at WICO 2026

At the 15th World Invention Creativity Olympic (WICO), the student delegation from Greenfield School Ecopark Campus delivered an outstanding performance to secure the Gold Medal. Their winning project focuses on an eco-friendly bus shelter design capable of effective thermal regulation. This achievement not only highlights the students' research capabilities but also underscores the potential of bringing school-based scientific projects closer to practical applications.

WICO is a prestigious global science competition for young inventors. Held from July 17 to 18, 2026, in Seoul, South Korea, WICO 2026 brought together over 340 teams from 26 countries and territories, showcasing highly innovative and practical research projects. Participating teams presented their ideas entirely in English and defended their work directly before an international panel of judges.

The team of five young researchers—Nguyen Thi Van Anh, Mai Khanh Van, Le Lam Ngoc, Pham Do Bao Chau, and Tong Le Minh from Class 8C1—impressed the judges with their highly creative and practical solution. Their study focuses on using porous, moisture-retaining ceramic tubes as thermal conduits to cool incoming air inside bus shelters. The approach not only optimizes construction costs but also saves energy and avoids releasing harmful waste into the environment.

Beyond the students' dedication and hard work, the project's success was powered by the guidance of experienced and passionate mentors. Mr. DeGrange Dale (Science Teacher in the Cambridge International Program) and Mr. Mai Anh Trung (Pharmacist and Chemical Engineer specializing in Silicate Materials at Codupha Central Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company) served as advisors. They inspired the team, provided expert direction, and helped structure the research systematically to meet international scientific standards.

Reflecting on the experience, team member Pham Do Bao Chau shared:

"We faced numerous challenges along the way, particularly when applying scientific principles into practice to achieve optimal performance. There were times when we had to disassemble, modify, and refine the model repeatedly. Under tight time constraints, disagreements among team members were inevitable as we pushed to stay on schedule.

During the Finals, seeing older students with massive projects around us was quite intimidating. The most dramatic moment came when our model suffered a sudden technical glitch right before presentation time. It felt like we might have to give up, and the whole team held its breath as we frantically scrambled to fix it. Yet, those heart-pounding moments became the motivation that pushed us to deliver our best presentation."

While the Gold Medal at WICO 2026 is a proud achievement, Greenfield School views the journey's deeper value as a testament to an essential truth: when students learn in an environment that fosters creativity, receive opportunities to conduct research, and are trusted and supported by dedicated mentors, they can confidently step onto the global stage with their own knowledge, resilience, and real-world impact.

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