by: Gabriel Segura || Photo Credit: Center for Research in Science and Technology Facebook Page

Three Grade 12 students from PSHS-EVC were awarded the Rising Star Award in Computer Science at the 5th KVIS Invitational Science Fair, held on January 24-28, 2022. The study, titled Electronic Registration, Logbook, and Scheduling System (ERLSS): Localizing Technology for Improving a School Registrar Office’s Functions, was presented by Neil Dustin Agner, Ryv Biensent Gabor, and Hans Danielle Nicolas. STR Teacher Rolex Padilla served as the team’s adviser, with assistance from other members of the EVC faculty.  

The KVIS International Science Fair, held by the Kamnoetvidya Science Academy in Thailand in conjunction with VISTEC in the spirit of global partnership and recognition. While the fair would normally occur on-campus, it was held remotely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, with this year’s theme being “Advancing Global Sustainability.” Participants hailing from over 15 countries gathered to present their studies within various scientific fields, with 4 awards in contention.

According to the presenters, the study was driven by a need to adapt remote processes conducted by the PSHS-EVC’s Office of the Registrar, who have continued to operate despite the online setup. Using XAMPP (a cross-platform web server stack) and PHP (a language used for web development), they developed a bespoke database with separate interfaces for both students and the registrar. Students would request through a web application, and once the registrar receives the requests, it would take them only a few clicks to supply the required documents. Accessibility and security, as well as streamlining data sorting and retrieval, were prioritized as chief design values. 

“We were inspired by the professionalism and aptitude of the other presenters,” said Agner. He added that “EVC’s history of participation in this and other science fairs proves that our research is on par with other countries – globally competitive, as it were.” Agner hoped that the award would, in turn, inspire other student researchers. The presenters thanked the CReST and EVC faculty, saying, “This study would not have flourished without their dedicated support.”