2004

Monday 23rd August 2004
St Mary’s Gateshead Students are National Science and Engineering Champions
After winning the Newcastle section of the 2004 Science and Engineering Challenge at their first attempt, students from St Mary’s High School Gateshead achieved an amazing milestone last Friday 20th August by winning the 2004 National Super Challenge Final.

St Mary’s was one of 25 high schools from New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland and South Australia who competed over three days from the 18th August 2004 at the Honeysuckle rail sheds in Newcastle.

St Joseph’s High School Aberdeen and St Peter’s High School Maitland also competed, and St Joseph’s was placed second, third year in a row! The event was part of National Science Week.

The Science and Engineering Challenge is supported by the University of Newcastle and the Rotary Organisations and according to Mr Larry Keating, Principal of St Mary’s Gateshead, “it is a competition offering a wonderful learning experience, teaching the value of collaboration and working together in support of each other. It also engenders rich leadership qualities.”

The competition challenges the best young minds working as a team under pressure to solve challenging science and engineering related problems.

Some of the challenges included building a doll’s chair, building a catapult, sending messages through optical fibre, solving puzzles and breaking codes.

The Science and Engineering Challenge is a collaboration between the Faculties of Science and Information Technology and Engineering and Built Environment at the University of Newcastle and local communities through Rotary International, Engineers Australia and the Department of Education and Training.

The St Mary’s team, comprising 40 students from Years 8, 9 and 10, believes that it was their will to win, their incredible team spirit and detailed preparation by their teachers, Mr Ken Jordan and Mr Shane Abell, supported by advice from Mr Bill Gudgeon, which enabled them to be the 2004 National Champions.

Back to Media Releases