A young girl with long dark hair wearing a blue, green, pink, and purple striped shirt sits at a white table, holding yellow paper and working on a craft project. The table has various craft supplies including scissors, glue, stickers, and decorated paper. Behind her, there is a gray textured wall, a window or glass door, and a tiered plant stand with terracotta pots.

My Stem Journey

I find science very interesting because it helps me understand the world around me.

When I was younger, I used to think science was just about experiments and facts. But now I realise that science is actually everywhere. Everything has a scientific reason behind it.

For example, I find the water cycle very fascinating. Water keeps recycling again and again through evaporation, condensation and precipitation. It is quite amazing to think that the water we drink today may be the same substance that dinosaurs drank millions of years ago. That thought really makes me feel like science connects us to the past.

RGPS Green Ambassador

I also had the chance to be a Green Ambassador, which was a very meaningful opportunity for me. As a Green Ambassador, I tried my best to promote recycling and encourage my friends to care more about the environment. I designed and built a recycling box for my classmates to recycle their plastic bottles, because I believe small actions at the level of one classroom can add up to something real.

I also worked on growing plants. Even though I do not think I naturally have green fingers, I still feel that the project was a success because some of my friends became interested and decided to grow their own plants at home.

One part I found very interesting was hydroponic technology, where plants can grow without soil, using nutrient rich water instead. I think this is very useful for Singapore because we are such a small country and we do not have a lot of land. With this kind of technology, we can grow more of our own food without using so much space.

A young girl with a big smile holding a blue and white striped box labeled 'Plastic Water Bottle' while sitting on a gray couch in a modern living room.
A clear plastic container filled with water, holding three artificial teeth, used as a dental experiment or demonstration tool. The container has the logo 'Peaning Fun' on it, along with measuring markers on the side.

E2K Science Programme

I am part of the E2K Science Programme at school, which goes far beyond the regular curriculum. It is where I first learned about the concept of inertia.

One of the things I love most about E2K is that it gives us real challenges to work through. In one project, we had to built cars designed to move along a track powered by wind. My approach came entirely from the science. I knew that greater mass means greater gravitational pull. So I built my car out of paper. I made it as light as I possibly could. My team's car came in first.

A young girl sitting on a couch holding a pink balloon, with a small brown dog beside her. There are various bottles and items on the table in front of her, and some pillows behind her. She appears to be looking at the balloon, and the setting looks like an outdoor patio area.

A curious 7-year old Ariel inflating a balloon using vinegar and baking soda

Ariel Explores Science

I also explore science on my own time. I built a periscope at home, filmed myself explaining how it bends light using mirrors, and shared it on my YouTube channel, Ariel Explores.

Because I think you do not truly understand something until you can explain it to someone else.

Science gave my curiosity a method. And that method has changed how I see everything.