Spread the word! Westside Christian College continues to nurture the next generation of scientists and engineers, with students blitzing the competition at the Science and Engineering Challenge for 2021.
It is an exciting time to be a Science student at Westside. In 2021, The University of Queensland has again partnered with our College to promote a record SIX students as Science Ambassadors. Working with academics and leaders in the sciences, UQ’s program aims to, challenge “students to develop their leadership abilities and communication skills, and offers them the chance to connect with like-minded students across Queensland”.
These six students, all in Year 11, not only receive exclusive event invitations, but will also be responsible for holding National Science Week activities, and encouraging other senior science students to share their experiences with students in all years. Head of Secondary, Mr Joshua Mansfield could not be happier with the announcement, “This is about more than science. It is about leadership. These students want to leave a legacy.”
Westside students prepare to power a city network.
Mrs Nola Leverton, Instructional Dean of Science at Westside, states “Spreading the word won’t be all that difficult when your audience already loves science! Just look at the results from our most recent outing at the Science and Engineering Challenge.”
The Science and Engineering Challenge is a national competition run by the University of Newcastle and partially funded by the Federal Government. The North Brisbane Regional Competition (incorporating South-East Queensland) is one of the most hotly-contested pools in the state. Mrs Leverton reflects on the work of staff and students to achieve so well, “Westside competes against elite colleges and specialist science schools. Our Year 10 students finished third in the region, which is a huge achievement.”
The competition, hosted this year by the Faculty of Engineering at UQ, saw our students design, construct and test their real-world skills as they battled it out for the trophy. Westside won, outright, three out of the eight challenges. These challenges included constructing earthquake-proof towers, developing secure communications systems using fibre optics and lights, and designing electrical networks by balancing energy needs using a range of renewable and traditional sources.
The ultimate challenge, The Bridge, was unanimously won by Westside students, to the joy of the teachers, lecturers, and fellow students from across the region. Our students were briefed to design and build a bridge capable of bearing loads over 200 times its own weight! Students approached the challenge with creativity, innovation, and teamwork.
With results like this, it is no wonder that Westside is the school of choice for future engineers of all types, mathematical modelers, geophysicists and planners. The College continues to prepare students with skills to succeed in as yet unimagined futures.
Westside Christian College wishes to acknowledge our Science Ambassadors, and congratulates the students and staff who participated in the Science and Engineering Challenge for 2021.
