A group of Angus high school youngsters are about to embark on a unique London field trip.
As pals packed their schoolbags for the summer holidays, the six senior pupils from Webster’s High School in Kirriemuir were gathering up research to showcase to world-leading researchers at the Royal Society.
They are taking part in the prestigious organisation’s Summer Science Exhibition.
And the sixth-year students will reveal their efforts to crack DNA plant codes as the ‘daffodil detectives’ of Angus.
Webster’s pupils dug into plant project
The science project was run in collaboration with experts from the James Hutton Institute.
It centred on using state-of-the-art DNA techniques to learn more about daffodil varieties.
The project has brought valuable funding to the Angus secondary – and grown the interest of the young scientists.
Menite Okoye-John, Grace Bertram, Kenzie Milne, Joshua Heinowski, Michael Ross, and Derya Ersoy are taking part in the event at the Royal Society, a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace.
They will showcase their scientific findings through interactive exhibits, hands-on activities and talks.
The pupils have also been asked to discuss their project on BBC Radio 4’s Inside Science programme.
Biology teacher Lewis Coull led the project and will be with the pupils in London.
The group sets off for London on Monday.
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Mr Coull said: “It is the first time Webster’s High School has been part of this. It is a very prestigious event.
“Around 100 schools across the UK received grant funding, but only 12 have been invited to the summer exhibition.
“It has brought valuable funding that has allowed us to buy equipment to use in school that we would never have been able to do otherwise.”
Morrison’s Academy in Crieff is the only other Tayside or Fife school taking part.
Pupil Kenzie said: “During the project we’ve got to use very specialised scientific equipment.
“It’s been interesting and very practical compared to other parts of the biology course.”
Joshua added: “I want to be a dentist, but it’s been very interesting to be part of this and see how science can be used.”
Conversation