SBM Offshore launches 2nd annual Guyana-Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix

Secondary schools in Guyana are invited to participate in the second edition of the Guyana-Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix, sponsored by SBM Offshore Guyana with support from the Education Ministry.
The Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix is an annual international competition that is held in the Principality of Monaco.
The competition encourages high school students to create a model race car out of a mousetrap and to use the laws of physics to propel the car forward by triggering the original trap mechanism.

The competition entails using the laws of physics to design and build small cars powered by mousetraps. Pictured are participants and officials at the inaugural edition of the local competition in 2023 (video still taken from SBM Offshore’s Facebook page)

It was created under the High Patronage of His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco to promote science and engineering to students in a fun, exciting way.
Through SBM Offshore, Guyana was once again invited to participate in the international event. Three exciting categories are open for entries – Acceleration, Endurance, and Innovation and Creativity.
SBM Offshore Guyana’s Local Content Officer, Garri Fraser expressed, “At SBM Offshore Guyana, we believe that investing in education and providing opportunities for young minds to thrive is crucial for the advancement of our society. We are eager to witness the incredible ideas and solutions that will emerge from this competition and the impact it will have on the participating students. We believe that by empowering the young generation with the tools and encouragement they need, we are investing in a brighter tomorrow for Guyana.”
Deputy Chief Education Officer with responsibility for Amerindian and Hinterland Development, Marti De Souza stated, “Having experienced the Guyana-Monaco Mousetrap Grand Prix 2023, I could see the great effort put into the projects by the students and their teachers. The entries were very innovative, the designers made great use of scientific and engineering principles. Raphel Persaud of St Stanislaus College and his teacher deservedly travelled to Monaco and viewed the Monaco Grand Prix. SBM Offshore has done a great job in providing this opportunity for our Guyanese students to be engaged in this competition and more so, affording them a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity of witnessing the marquee Monaco Grand Prix.”
Interested students can register on the website https://mousetraprace.sbm.gy/. Once all the applications have been submitted, an official request will be sent to Monaco, and the mousetrap kits will be mailed to Guyana.
Once the schools receive the kits, they will be given a timeframe to complete their mousetrap cars, following which the entries will be judged in the local competition, which will serve as the pre-qualifier for the international leg. The first-place winner of each category will be awarded a cash prize to purchase materials for the schools’ Science Departments. Once the three best performers of each category are determined, videos of their performance will be submitted to Monaco for entry into the international leg.
If a local team is successful in the international leg, SBM Offshore Guyana will sponsor the team’s travel to Monaco where they will have a chance to view the historic Grand Prix. In 2023, Raphel Persaud, who represented Guyana at the Monaco Mousetrap Car Grand Prix, was also granted the opportunity to witness the Race of the Porsche Mobile 1 Supercup, the F1 Drivers’ Parade, and the 80th Formula One Grand Prix of Monaco. He also toured Nice, France and Monaco where he visited SBM Offshore’s office.