The 2018 Rotary Port Lincoln Community Bank Science and Engineering Challenge was staged earlier today inside Navigator College’s Mangiri Centre. PLHS sent another talented and determined squad of Year 10 (and 9) Science students to compete against other school teams from across the EP.
This wonderful annual event – an outreach program delivered by the University of Newcastle – sees participating students apply scientific 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 catapults, coded messages, bionic hands, water turbines, electricity grids, earthquake-proof towers and transport networks. The day concluded with the traditional (and spectacular) bridge-busting finale.
After a slow start, the enthusiastic and dedicated Port Lincoln High School team clicked into gear mid-morning, steadily progressing up the leaderboard with every score check. Although our highly successful bridge withstood a huge amount of moving weight, (and was duly proclaimed the winning design), it wasn’t enough to claim the overall title. That honour belongs once again to the formidable and consistent team from Cummins Area School; as winners of our Challenge, they will represent the EP region at the State Final in late August – congratulations and good luck!
For the second year in a row, PLHS finished runners-up. Pleasingly, our students displayed a positive attitude and good competitive spirit throughout the day. The accompanying teachers – Mr Shaun Maxfield and Mr Shaun Thomas – were extremely proud of the manner in which our young people represented themselves and Port Lincoln High School.
Many thanks go to the 2018 Challenge organisers, sponsors and volunteers; once again, they facilitated a very smooth and enjoyable event for all participants.
We look forward to competing in Whyalla at the 2019 event, hopefully finishing one place further up the leaderboard next time.
~ Mr Shaun Thomas (Accompanying Teacher)