Newcastle school takes out Science and Engineering Challenge Tuesday, 25 October 2016

St Mary's High School in Newcastle is the national winner of this year's Science and Engineering Challenge.

The Challenge is a nationwide STEM outreach program organised by the University of Newcastle, designed to let students experience aspects of science and engineering which they would not usually see in their school environment. It focuses on Year 9 and 10 students with the goal of inspiring them to study the enabling sciences and mathematics in years 11 and 12.

This year's final was held at the University of Tasmania in Hobart and featured eight schools from around the country.

St Mary's finished top in contests involving Future Power and Grasping at Straws and was in the top three schools in virtually every contest giving them a total score of 1280.89 out of a maximum 1600. Launceston Christian School finished second with Mount Carmel College from Hobart third.

Tasmanian State Coordinator for the Challenge Susie Haley said the hands-on, competitive nature of the Challenge provides an experience that cannot be easily duplicated in the classroom.

“It’s an exhilarating experience that helps students see that science and engineering involves creativity, innovation, problem solving and teamwork,” she said.

St Mary's, which is based in Gateshead in the southern suburbs of Newcastle, has now won the competition five times in its 13-year history and has developed a reputation as the school to beat.

Ray Collins, Director of Schools for the Catholic Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, congratulated staff and students on the achievement.

“For our diocese to dominate this competition in the way it does says a great deal about the passion staff and students have for the challenges involved,” he said.

“Coupled with their engineering, thinking and leadership skills, they have demonstrated again the great pride they have in the school’s tradition in this competition and, I am told, have proven to be outstanding representatives of St Mary’s and the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle.”

[St Mary's celebrates its win at the Science and Engineering Challenge in Hobart. Photo: Science and Engineering Challenge]