International Experience Workshop in the Petra Preradovića High School, Virovitica

May 10-11, 2012

Our second international event was held in the Petra Preradovića High School, Virovitica, Croatia on May 10-11, 2012. With the leadership of dr. Eleonóra Stettner (Kaposvár University), three teachers and 22 students of the Táncsics High School of Kaposvár, Hungary also participated in the Croatian Experience Workshop. The Hungarian members of the project management team were represented by Anna Kling Takács, Bernadett Bálint and György Kövér. The students prepared for the events with great excitement.

When the Hungarian team arrived to Virovitica, the headmaster of the high school invited them for a walk in the city and to visit the city museum. After visiting the city’s impressing castle as well, the team returned to the school.

After the lunch, a physics competition took place in the hall of the high school. The Petra Preradovića High School, the Srednja Škola Bartola Kašića of Grubišno Polje, and the Táncsics Mihály High School’s 52 students participated in the competition. The test was edited by Slobodanka Polasek, teacher of the Petra Preradovića High School.

After the competition, the participants were invited to the opening of the astronomical exhibition. Korado Korlević, a famous Croatian astronomer, who opened the exhibition, had rich explanations regarding every photos of the exhibit and gladly answered to all of the student’s questions. They could see and even touch a real meteorite! The local Astronomical Society also provided a space-telescope and the students had the opportunity to observe sunspots.

After the astronomical experiences, an exceptional mathematical curiosity awaited the visitors in the local church’s museum: an original 12th century manuscript of Euclid’s Elements!

The students had a great time at their accomodation as well. On the other day, right after breakfast, the teams joined to the physics and math-art Experience Workshop. The Croatian hosts, in collaboration with the Hungarian partners   invited everybody for a lot of exciting workshops and programs. These were the topics:

1. Physics on the surface of water
2. Vacuum-phenomena
3. Let’s play with Isaac Newton
4. Geometrical optics
5. Friction force
6. Waves
7. Defining gravitational acceleration
8. Physics crosswords
9. Geogebra
10. Several Experience Workshop events presenting the connections between mathematics and arts

After the workshops, the participating 300 students were invited to the theater, where interesting scientific presentations took place. The first presentation was held by Korado Korlević. He was followed by exciting experiments and demonstrations performed by Hrvoje Mesić and Ivica Aviani

Winners of the Physics Competition:

3rd grade students:

1. Tibor Zukina
2. Dario Barisic
3. Slaven Nad

2nd grade students:

1. Sandra Manojlovics
2. Vinko Lovrencic
3. Vedrana Moslavac

From the Táncsics High School:

1. Virág Werkman
2. Szilárd Kovács (10th grade)
3. Arnold Bingler (11th grade)

The hosts surprised the participants with an extra gift: a trophy.

The results were the following:

1. Virovitica team
2. Kaposvár team
3. Grubišno Polje team

The greater surprise was only revealed later: every trophy was carved as 1st prize! All participants were winners: our knowledge increased, and good friendships were made during these two days, dedicated to mathematics and science.