The STEM skills of local students were put to the test last week at the annual Upper Hunter Science and Engineering Challenge.
Students faced a range of activities that made them think outside the box about how to solve a particular task, from scheduling tasks without conflicts or replicating indigenous fishing practices, to building a wind turbine or a new challenge in 2025, the eco hut.
While some tasks are very hands on like building a bridge out of limited supplies, some of the important lessons from the event are what is known as soft STEM skills such as teamwork, communication and problem solving.
Joanne Cutler from Scone Grammar School has been bringing students along to the event for 24 years and she always makes sure it is in the school’s calendar.
“It gives our kids who are really hands, on the opportunity to use those skills to be able to get a feel for the sciences and the technologies,” she said at the high school event.
“If they’re a bit on the fence about whether they want to do science or technology in the future, it gives them a bit of motivation to think, ‘yeah, I can do this’.”
At Scone Grammar School the students don’t get to practice any of the specific events from the Science and Engineering Challenge in preparation for the day, in part because they don’t know what groups will be doing what until they arrive, but also because these types of skills are already part of the school’s curriculum.
“At the end of the day, the kids love it,” Joanne said when asked what the student feedback is like about the event.
“They’re using their teamwork, and they get on with each other, and they problem solve together, which is what we want them to do.”
Muswellbrook Indoor Sports Centre was a hive of activity and excited chatter as the students worked through a series of challenges, being marked off by representatives from various sponsors who supported the event.
Tuesday was the high schools challenge day, then primary schools competed on the Wednesday and Thursday.
Yancoal Mount Thorley Warkworth are the major sponsor for the event that is run by the University of Newcastle and coordinated locally by the Rotary Club of Muswellbrook.
