Hebron – Together – The team of the Directorate of Education in Hebron qualified for the semi-final stage in the international competition ‘Technovision for Girls’, and the winning project ‘Lilo World’ is a mobile application that aims to overcome the social challenges faced by children with special needs.
The members of the winning team are: Lilia Basil Musleh from Al-Siddiq Basic School for Girls, and Nour Ibrahim Al-Sharif from Al-Khabara Model School. Under the supervision of the two teachers: Daniao Dana Muhammad Fayez Maraka.
The Director General of Education in Hebron, Atef Al-Jamal, spoke of the Directorate’s efforts aimed at empowering education cadres and providing them with skills and competencies that qualify them to compete locally and internationally, on the one hand, and the importance of investing capabilities in the field of technology and artificial intelligence as a modern language among the requirements of the times. Al-Jamal congratulated the Directorate of Education team. In Hebron for
his efforts to overcome this stage of the competition,
Rami Al-Atawneh, Head of the Technology Department, pointed out that the competition aims to deepen the students’ skills in scientific research, the concepts of artificial intelligence, programming, innovation, and leadership among girls, and to apply what they learn to solve a problem in their communities and employ technology in life contexts.
We interviewed the supervising teacher, Dayna, by asking several questions to learn about their work mechanisms and the nature of their project.
Q: Dania, how would you describe your experience in the ‘Technovision’ competition for girls?
A: It was a wonderful and challenging experience, and we benefited greatly from this experience. It is a unique opportunity for girls to develop their skills in programming, artificial intelligence, and innovation, and also to learn how to apply technology to solve real problems in their community.
Q: What are the competition categories and stages?
A: The competition employ
s two main topics, namely programming and artificial intelligence, in order to solve societal problems using technology. There are three main categories for the competition: the senior category for girls aged 16-18 years, the junior category for girls aged 12-16 years, and the junior category for girls aged 8-12 years.
The competition goes through several stages, starting with presenting the idea, then developing the prototype, all the way to filming the presentation video and technical video for the project and writing the learning journey in addition to the business plan for the senior category or the user certification plan for the junior category. Our team successfully passed these stages and was judged by international arbitrators from all over the world and qualified for the semi-final stage of the competition, where the winners will have the opportunity to travel to the United States in order to attend the global summit and compete with the qualified teams to obtain a financial prize to support the co
ntinuation of their learning.
Q: Tell us about the ‘Lilo World’ project that you supervised, which qualified for the semi-finals.
A: ‘Lilo World’ is a mobile application aimed at helping children with special needs overcome social challenges. The application provides interactive and educational content that enables children to learn more about Down Syndrome and helps them improve their social and communication skills through fun and effective activities. The project came as a result of outstanding team work by the two students, Lilia Musleh and Nour Al-Sharif, who showed great creativity and commitment.
Q: How do you see the role of such competitions in empowering girls in the field of technology?
A: These competitions play a major role in empowering girls, as they give them the opportunity to explore new fields, develop their technical and creative skills, and build confidence in their abilities to achieve success in fields that were traditionally limited to males. Participating girls also learn the valu
e of teamwork and how to turn ideas into realistic solutions.
Q: What are your aspirations for the next stage of the competition?
A: We are very excited about the next stage, and we are working hard to prepare for it. We aspire to reach the finals and win, but the most important thing is to continue developing our capabilities and benefit from everything we learn on this journey. The most important thing is for girls to continue to leverage their skills and continue to innovate.
Q: Are there any messages you would like to send to girls participating in these competitions?
A: Yes, I would like to say to every girl: Do not be afraid to experiment and fail, because every experience is an opportunity to learn and grow. Believe in your abilities and work hard to achieve your goals, and do not forget that technology is a powerful tool that can contribute to improving the world around us.
Q: Do you have any final words?
A: Sure. I would like to thank the Ministry of Education for its diligent follow-up during
the application stages of the competition, represented by the Technovision Ambassador for Girls in Palestine, Engineer Hanaa Omran. I also thank the Directorate of Education in Hebron, represented by the Director of Education, Mr. Atef Al-Jamal, for facilitating and providing the opportunity for creative men and women to work and develop. I also thank the Educational Technologies Department, represented by Engineer Rami Al-Atawneh, for the continuous encouragement. I will not forget to thank both Al-Khabara Model School and Al-Siddiq Basic School for their cooperation to make this project a success.
Source: Maan News Agency
