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ALUMNI: The 15 winners with Blue IQ's Sicelo Mahlalela and Gauteng economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu. PHOTO: MOHAU MOFOKENG.

Right: Micheal Robbertson , Belfort Morel, Erin Adams, Rendy Wadyamadya and JP Pereira.

These are the 15 youths from three Pretoria schools who became winners of the 2011 Smart Young Mindz Challenge, which earned them membership of the competition's alumni, which has grown to 90 members who have been joining the select group of 15 yearly winners since 2006.

Smart Young Mindz is an annual theoretical, practical and research-based competition initiated and facilitated by Blue IQ, an agency of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development and its corporate social investment partners are the Gauteng Department of Education, Sowetan's Aggrey Klaaste Nation Building Foundation and Blue IQ's subsidiary company, the Innovation Hub.

It stimulates the interest among public high school pupils in Grades 8, 9 and 10 taking mathematics, science, technology and entrepreneurship.

Participants are assisted by their subject teachers and district subject advisers.

Their ideas are expected to generate products or services that will fill gaps in the market. The ideas should also have the potential of being commercially viable.

The latest SYM Alumni members' feat has helped to put overall winners Hoërskool Hendrik Verwoerd and second and third-placed winners Hoërskool Pretoria Wes and Hoërskool Eldoraigne on the map of top achieving maths, science, technology, engineering and innovation pupils.

Hoërskool Hendrik Verwoerd pupils Belfort Morel, Erin Adams, Rendy Widyamadja, Micheal Robbertson and JP Pereira scooped the R45000 first prize. Hoërskool Pretoria Wes pupils Lebogang Ntlatleng, Refilwe Motsatsi, Mary Oladipo, Jessica Papo and Rubendri Pillay shared R30000, while the third prize of R15000 went to Hoërskool Eldoraigne's Grant Rafferty, Hanno Swart, Hohan Nortjie, Wian Boshoff and Wian Jordaan.

For those who might have visited the Smart Young Mindz Challenge website, it is common knowledge that being part of the Smart Young Mindz Alumni Association offers pupils opportunities to be exposed to different alumni activities in the world of science and technology.

It further allows members to interact on academic issues, offer advice and learn from each other.

The partners serve the alumni process by:

• Keeping track of the winners of the SYM competition up to tertiary level;
• Providing members with activities and support that helps to encourage them to choose careers in maths, science, technology, engineering, innovation and related entrepreneurial spin-offs.
• Providing a platform for alumni to share ideas on careers and innovations;
• On the other hand, SYM Alumni are expected to:
• Provide mentorship to the new competition entrants as well as fellow club members;
• Act as an intermediaries between Blue IQ and its partners, including the GDE, Sowetan and other pupils who might be interested in the challenge;
• Serve as advisory members to Blue IQ and its partners in addressing youth development issues;
• Serve as advisory members in other key aspects of the competition; and
• Obey SYM Alumni rules, which include upholding high social standards, maintaining academic excellence, and remaining free of criminal or engaging in any other unethical behaviour;

For more information on the Smart Young Mindz Challenge, visit www.blueiq.co.za, www.gautengonline.gov.za or www.theinnovationhub.co.za.