Sensational Second at Science & Engineering Challenge

Yesterday, a combined team of thirty-one Year 10 students from Port Lincoln High School and Cummins Area School competed at a Science and Engineering Challenge event staged at the University of Adelaide’s Mawson Lakes campus. We are thrilled to report that our Lower Eyre Peninsula crew (now fondly known as “PLUMMINS”) finished in an incredible second place out of nine competing schools.

This wonderful annual event – an outreach program delivered by the University of Newcastle – sees participating students apply scientific, technological and mathematical concepts to a variety of fun, practical problem-solving tasks. It is designed to encourage more students to select senior secondary science and maths subjects, and to consider related tertiary and career pathways. This year’s Challenge activities included designing and testing wind turbines, Styrofoam gliders, coded messages, bionic hands, eco-habitats, electrical circuits and fish traps. As always, the day concluded with a spectacular interactive bridge-busting finale.

Our students performed strongly across all eight disciplines, combining problem-solving nous with positive attitudes and excellent teamwork and communication skills – pleasingly, they consistently demonstrated their school values, competing hard but fairly all day. Ultimately, we were announced as the day’s runners-up, with a narrow margin separating us from the winning school, who automatically earn a place at the state finals in early September. If our overall score is good enough across the five SA Challenges, we may also be invited to compete – our crew is very keen for another crack!

Our participation at the Mawson Lakes event required a two-night stay at the Warradale Urban Camp School and a long road journey on either side of our Challenge day courtesy of our wonderful driver Garreth from EP Bus Charters. This monumental effort was partly funded by Bendigo Bank Port Lincoln and the Rotary Club of Port Lincoln – we sincerely thank them for their generous assistance. Similarly, we greatly appreciate the support of our families, and thank the Challenge organisers, sponsors and volunteers for their facilitation of a smooth and enjoyable event for all participants.

The accompanying teachers – myself and Miss Courtney Richter from PLHS and Ms. Claire Stephens and Mr. Jed Woolford from Cummins AS – were extremely proud of the manner in which our young people represented themselves, their district and their respective schools.

If we don’t get the call-up to this year’s state final, we look forward to returning to Mawson Lakes in 2027 to hopefully go one better.

~ Mr. Shaun Thomas (Accompanying Teacher)