Scotch College

Scotch team triumphs in Science Engineering Challenge

A team of Scotch students emerges on top after taking on 15,500 students from 550 schools in the national Science Engineering Challenge.

Words: ED CLIFF, YEAR 9

The Science Engineering Challenge organised by the University of Newcastle started for Scotch in Melbourne, when a team of 40 boys attended the regional challenge. We were introduced to a series of problems that had to be solved in small groups of four or five Year 9 and Year 10 students.

Some of the challenges included ‘Electricity – the Wiring of a City’, ‘Gold Rush’, with a focus on bridge construction, and ‘Job Juggle’. The regional challenge presented many complications which served to develop great cooperation and teamwork.

Our victory at regional level allowed us to progress to the State Super Challenge, which was scheduled for Foundation Day. With half of our state team absent we replenished by including some enthusiastic Year 8s. Even though we went with quite a different team we still managed to pull through and take out the Victorian championship. This meant we were among the top eight teams in Australia, as we had qualified for the A division of the National Grand Challenge to be held in Toowoomba in October.

We arrived in Toowoomba extremely excited and nervous after an afternoon at the Brisbane Science Museum. The next morning after a team session we headed to the University of Southern Queensland, where our challenges were selected randomly and we set to work. At lunchtime we were top of the leader board.

At the end of our challenges we were confident, but the constant score updates continued to change our position and it wasn’t until after the final challenge, ‘Bridge Building’, was over that we were proclaimed the winners, in the end by seven points.

Throughout the Science Engineering Challenge, more than 550 schools and 15,500 students around Australia had competed. We had a fantastic time and we would like to thank our sensational team of teachers – Mrs Linossier, Mr Coleman, Miss Stalker and Dr Lewis for accompanying, organising and encouraging us, Mr Flynn for his help in the first two challenges, and our team captain Ryan Melville. Hopefully we can continue our fantastic run next year! GS