Al-Amal Team at International Science Fair

Students from , a K-12 Islamic school in Fridley, are proving that sometimes your first idea is not the best.

After choosing their fifth topic idea for the school’s science fair and running with it, 10th-graders Omar Farah, Muhammad Islam and Mayzer Muhammad made it to the I-SWEEEP Olympiads in Houston, TX. I-SWEEEP stands for International Sustainable World (Energy Engineering Environment) Project.

The competition, which began Wednesday and ends Monday, is open to high school students around the world. The contest aims to create an educational platform for young researchers where they can present their innovative projects to take on today’s challenges in energy, engineering, and the environment.

“If we went with our first idea, we most likely wouldn’t be here right now,” Islam said.

Their project, titled “Light Efficiencies: A Key to Saving the World,” tests three types of light bulbs to find which is most efficient. They tested incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs and light emitting diodes (LED).

Through research, they predicted that the LED bulb would be most efficient. After creating a photometer to measure the intensity of each light bulb, they were surprised to find that CFL bulbs were the most energy efficient—besides being much cheaper than the LED bulb.

Mayzer Muhammad found it fun to teach others about the project’s results.

“Not a lot of people know the difference between CFL and LED light, or understand how they make light,” Mayzer Muhammad explained.

The students started the project in December. After winning first place at Al-Amal School’s science fair, they proceeded to the Regional science fair, where they won second-place. They were nominated for the I-SWEEEP Olympiad, applied, and were accepted. Most recently, they competed at the State science fair, and won third-place.

“We wanted to tackle a project that would be challenging,” said Mayzer Muhammad. “It was very exciting for us, and a great learning experience.

Science and Islam

Farah said the project not only saves the world from pollution, but makes him a better Muslim.

“It says in the Holy Qur’an not to be wasteful,” Farah said. “By saving energy, we will be less wasteful. It’s going to take a lot of pollution out of the world and the Earth, and it’s going to save a lot of people money.”

The LED bulb, which the team first thought would be most energy efficient, sells for about $18 per bulb. A CFL bulb, which turned out to be most energy efficient costs a couple dollars.

The Future

Mayzer Muhammad is the only one of the three students who aspires to stay in the science field—he said he hopes to become a doctor one day. Muhammad Islam wants to go into law, and Farah said he wants to be in business, possibly finance.

But for now, they all love what they are doing with their science project.

“We’ve been able to get really far,” said Muhammad Islam. “Allah (God) has blessed us and helped us reach this success.”

In Houston, Farah said they are seeing lots of other “great projects” and are awaiting the award ceremony set for Sunday night.

“I’m confident that we’ll at least get some type of award,” Farah said. “And if not, we’re still happy with the experience.”