Celebrating Student Success
We are delighted to share the incredible achievements of three of our Year 10 STEM students, Ella Calkoen, Alice Ferarri and Rachel Kau, who recently participated in the SuperHack Competition 2023, an annual secondary school engineering hackathon hosted by the Melbourne University Electrical Engineering Club (MUEEC). This competition is specifically designed to empower young women, non-binary, and gender-diverse students in the field of engineering.
Over the weekend, our students delved into the world of engineering, exploring coding and programming with ARDUINO 101. They successfully built a device aimed at assisting visually impaired individuals by sensing barriers and falls. This hands-on experience not only expanded their knowledge but also ignited a deeper interest in engineering, thanks to engaging activities, university mentors, and insightful presentations by professors and industry leaders.
We are excited to announce that our students received the award for 'the most aesthetically pleasing device,' along with a super starter kit to further extend their skills at home. This recognition is a testament to their hard work, creativity, and commitment to making a positive impact through engineering solutions.
The SuperHack Competition aligns seamlessly with our school's commitment to STEM education. At St Aloysius, our students embark on a comprehensive STEM curriculum, starting from Years 7 and 8, where they engage in a range of activities covering Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths (STEAM). Through projects such as robotics, coding, 3D printing, and sustainability initiatives, they develop essential skills like problem-solving, creativity, teamwork, independent thinking, communication, and digital literacy.
In Years 9 and 10, students have the option to choose STEM as an elective subject, allowing them to deepen their understanding of societal challenges and explore innovative solutions using technology. The culmination of their STEM journey in Year 10 involves the completion of the Future Earth Project, where they research and design solutions for real-world problems, aligning with the United Nations Sustainability Goals.
As we celebrate the success of our students at the SuperHack Competition, we also acknowledge the significance of promoting gender diversity in the engineering field. The SuperHack initiative aligns with our school's commitment to providing equal opportunities for all.
Congratulations to our talented students for their outstanding achievements at the SuperHack Competition. Their success not only reflects their dedication but also highlights the effectiveness of our STEM curriculum in preparing students for the challenges and opportunities of the future.
We look forward to witnessing the continued growth and success of our students in the dynamic and ever-evolving field of STEM.
Thank you to Science Learning Leader Kareena Martis for facilitating our students' attendance at the event.
Below is a reflection from Year 10 student Rachel Kau:
Over the weekend, two other students and I were given the opportunity to participate in an engineering competition called the Superhack Competition 2023. While there, we learnt the basics coding and programming of ARDUINO 101, and built a device to help sense barriers and falls for visually impaired individuals. Through the activities with university mentors and presentations given by professors and industry leaders, my interest of engineering increased. We learnt so much in this competition, and received an award for The Most Aesthetically Pleasing along with a prize, a super starter kit so that we could extend our skills at home! We all enjoyed the competition.