SQUEEEZE
76 schools compete in first-ever online SquEEEze
Despite the challenges posed by the current remote learning setup, 149 teams from 76 different high schools and colleges competed in the first online installment of SquEEEze, UP Circuit’s national electrical and electronics engineering (EEE) competition and convention, last May 22–23, 29–30, and June 13, 2021.
Participants from all over the country battled it out in three competitions revolving around EEE: the High School Quiz Show, College Quiz Show, and Technological Design Contest, all of which were held virtually through videoconferencing platforms Zoom and Discord.
Among the 65 teams in the High School Division, Team B from Manila Science High School won the High School Quiz Show, whereas Team A from De La Salle University trumped 73 others in the College Quiz Show. Wesleyan University’s Team A, on the other hand, bested 11 other teams in the Technological Design Contest with “Project SWAT (Solar+Wind Powered AgriPest TrapPeller).”
Exequiel Bangug, a member of Manila Science High School’s winning team in the High School Quiz Show, saw SquEEEze as a “unique and stimulating experience.” He added that the competition, despite being held virtually, gave him a feeling similar to those he joined before the pandemic. “It’s interesting that I got to see new faces while feeling nervous — the same sentiments I had in participating in contests before.”
The 5-day event also featured the EEE Virtual Convention: a series of talks aimed at preparing participants for their future in EEE. Company and tech talks by various established professionals in the field were held for participating college students. Moreover, workshops on basic EEE skills and career talks were offered to high school students to prepare them for their competitions and to pique their interest in the field. UP Circuit’s Karl Salva (19A) and Joshua Bacud (19A) facilitated the Circuit Building workshop, whereas Jasper Refuerzo (18A) and Xerr Cian Enriquez (19A) led the beginner-to-intermediate Python programming workshop.
Wesleyan University Team A’s John Pangilinan noted that SquEEEze is “one of the most memorable experience[s]” he has ever had. He viewed the event as “a tool to nurture our minds as future engineers and develop connections with the skilled professionals in the career path we have taken.” Roderick Fetalbero from the same winning team added that SquEEEze helped him to think of “new ways to help our society by developing devices that could help the development of our country.”
Established in 1998, SquEEEze is an annual series of workshops and competitions organized by UP Circuit, aimed at gathering the top students and professionals in the field of Electrical and Electronics Engineering. Now in its 24th year, the first online SquEEEze was led by members Kaye Charity Ignacio (18A) and Jorelle Aaron Herrera (18A).
