Local schools shine in hands-on competition

PROUD: St Mary's Catholic School students (from left) Joshua Blundell, Gabriel Larkin, Ariahna Ngawhika and Sophie Bye. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

A group of Rotorua students who took part in a competition with a difference have come away with a host of new skills.

St Mary's Catholic School, Rotorua Intermediate and John Paul College took part in the EPro8 Challenge finals held at Rotorua Intermediate School last week.

St Mary's Catholic School's team, INVENTAS, came 6th in the Year 5-6 category while Rotorua Intermediate's RIS Einsteins and John Paul College's Bob the Builders, came sixth and ninth respectively.

The EPro8 Challenge is a competition involving an engineering and problem solving race.

Teams compete to build large sized structures, solve practical problems, engineer using pulleys, motors, gears, wheels and axles, invent machines that can complete simple tasks
undertake experiments, construct basic electronic circuits and solve problems using practical maths.

St Mary's Catholic School teacher Susie Bye said they were particularly proud of their team because they were the only Rotorua team to make it through to the Year 5 and 6 finals.

The school's librarian said all the students were "so clever" with what they achieved.

"They can create whatever they like as long as it's within the brief. It teaches technical skills, problem solving, creating and really gets their brains going while working under time pressures."

RESULTS:
Year 7-8, Thursday last week
1, Omokoroa Point Pulley Power, Omokoroa Point School
2, WIS CHALLENGE MASTERS, Whakatane Intermediate
3, WIS BRAINWAVES, Whakatane Intermediate
3, Andrew's Astronomers,Taupo Intermediate
5, Illuminate Confirmed, Bethlehem College
6, RIS Einsteins, Rotorua Intermediate
7, Tauriko Titans, Tauriko School
8, Team Rocket, Mamaku School
9, JPC Bob the Builders, John Paul College
*
Year 5-6 , Friday last week
1, Team Awesome, Allandale School
2, Mechanical Maniacs, Mount Maunganui Primary School
2, Nuts and Bolts, Oropi Primary
4, Believe Team, Ohope Beach School
5, Dream Team Ohope Beach School
6, Omokoroa Point Extreme Constructors, Omokoroa Point School
6, Katikati Jedi's, Katikati Primary School
8, INVENTAS, St Mary's Catholic School (Rotorua)
9, Matua 1, Matua School