IDA’s CEO RADM(NS) Ronnie Tay (centre) with the newly-appointed Infocomm Club ambassadors. |
Online games, virtual worlds, open source applications as well as short message service (SMS) information systems – these were some of the innovative projects that made it to the finals of a competition to come up with the most innovative use of infocomm technology to promote the upcoming Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games (YOG).
The theme for this year’s National Infocomm Club Awards was "The Youth Olympic Games & Me", and a total of 68 project submissions were received.
Victoria School, for example, used a 3D virtual world technology to create a virtual space to host and engage YOG delegates from Zimbabwe and Brunei - two countries that the school twins with. The virtual space provides an environment for the athletes to interact and make new friends. The project was one of the winning entries in the Secondary School and Junior College category.
Another finalist was an online SMS information system submitted by Nan Chiau High School that allows the public to keep up to date on the latest happenings at the Singapore 2010 YOG and send well wishes to the athletes.
Ms Teresa Lim, Managing Director of IBM Singapore, talks to students during the Youth Infocomm Seminar. |
Speaking at the National Infocomm Club Awards presentation ceremony on 11 November 2009, Mr Teo Ser Luck, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Community Development, Youth & Sports, said, “These projects are important as they seek to further the aim of the YOG - for youths around the world to interact and learn about different cultures, and through this, to embrace, embody and express the Olympic values of Excellence, Friendship and Respect.”
The National Infocomm Club Awards were launched in 2007 by the Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA), to showcase the best Infocomm Clubs in innovation. This year’s Awards ceremony marked the culmination of the Youth Infocomm Week, which kicked off with the Youth Infocomm Seminar in which more than 200 students had the opportunity to interact with leading professionals from the infocomm industry. Other activities that were held during Infocomm Week included competitions, conferences, field trips, career talks and workshops which took place at selected schools across Singapore.
Mr Teo Ser Luck (left) with the victorious Victoria team. |
The event also saw the appointment of 18 new Infocomm Club Ambassadors, bringing the total number of ambassadors to 63. The students, who were nominated from their school's Infocomm Clubs, will represent the voice of students to facilitate more vibrant exchange of ideas amongst students and industry. Launched in 2005, IDA’s Infocomm Clubs programme has seen school participation grow over the years, from 150 in 2008 to 251 today. The number of students involved has also increased from 7,500 in 2008 to 10,500.
These Infocomm Club initiatives are part of IDA's continual effort in talent attraction and development, to encourage students to continue to pursue their passion in infocomm to actively contribute to society, Singapore and the world.