Students Get Practical
Illawarra Mercury
Tuesday July 1, 2008
The second annual University of Wollongong High School Challenge attracted students from across the region to the university for a day of fun-filled science and engineering competition.
This year, more than 400 students from 13 schools competed in the challenge, and the event had to be split over two days.Students divide into groups and spend the day working on a science or engineering-based problems like the 'Mission to Mars' challenge and 'Back to the Future'.The school with the most points at the end of the day takes home the title.Bowral High School claimed victory on the first day against seven other schools, and Keira High School beat six other schools to win the second day of competition.The two schools will now progress to the next state level in the overall competition.The event aims to encourage more students to undertake subjects like science and engineering in senior school by showing students the practical and fun applications of the theory.Wollongong's challenge co-ordinator Dr Zengxi (Stephen) Pan said the students enjoyed the competitive and creative event."The hands-on competitive nature of the challenge allows students to experience the creative side of science and engineering in a fun atmosphere," he said.Edmund Rice students Riste Tomeski and Peter Zuiderwyk both enjoyed the day, and said it would influence their Year 11 subject decisions later this year."You can see how science, mathematics and engineering actually work once you leave school," he said. KATELIN McINERNEY
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury