The MNA Express and Star 2018 STEM Challenge
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The MNA Express and Star 2018 STEM Challenge The competition was led by the Midland News Association, publishers of the Wolverhampton Express & Star and Shropshire Star. The aim was to promote the importance of STEM subjects, develop skills and raise awareness of the demand for STEM skills by local employers. The competition aimed to increase employer engagement, provide a longer term quality engagement (January - July), improve collaborative working, increase the understanding of the labour market and local employer needs and address skills shortages. The key partners were Dudley College of Technology, University of Wolverhampton, DENSO, KUKA and Entrust, Staffordshire and West Midlands STEM ambassador hubs. 24 high schools across the area were identified to take part plus local manufacturing/engineering companies to provide mentors. After working on their solution to the brief i.e. ‘Design a product to improve or enhance the quality of life for a group or person that you consider to be advantaged’ from January, the final was held in the Advance II Building at Dudley College of Technology on the 5th July and was attended by young people from 21 schools that completed the challenge. The impact of the experience was clearly evident in the young people’s responses to the judges questioning. A member of the Telford Langley School team commented on their devise to soothe people suffering from stress or anxiety ‘ We had a few problems but we are pleased with how it turned out’ One of the young people in the Royal School team who developed a device to fit to a bike that produced light therapy for people suffering from Seasonal Effective Disorder said’ It’s been fun and we’ve learned a lot’. The Abbots Bromley school team who made a smart bracelet that set reminders for people to take medication with a compartment for tablets said ‘We wanted to make something that could help a lot of people whatever their needs’ The teacher mentor for the The Marches school team said ‘They really wanted to help people with Alzheimer’s and they’ve come up with a really good idea’ Teachers fedback the positive impact on pupils involved. Comments included; ‘It’s been amazing to see the progress, and confidence that they have made‘ and ‘It has really inspired them, a couple of them want to go into Engineering ’ The challenge has allowed them to work with people in the community to identify their needs and test ideas and prototypes. Thorns Collegiate team developed their ‘My Stand’ device working with a local charity receiving help from the technology services manager at the Beacon Centre for the Blind. Telford Park School worked closely with The Lyneal Trust a charity offering canal boat holidays for people with disabilities. Their product was a steering tiller for the charity’s adapted canal boats. The editor said ‘We’ve all been taken aback by the response. The ingenuity, dedication, organisation and the talent of those involved has shone through from the very start’ The Shropshire Star editor added ‘I have no doubt that this competition has uncovered some stars of the future’ 4 Judging categories were agreed to maximise the opportunity for the teams to succeed and achieve and to acknowledge that a range of skills and attributes are required to solve a problem. i.e. Best work plan, Best team work Best operating model, Best presentation and an overall winning team. The responses to the challenge brief demonstrated the young people’s problem solving and creative skills. They included a tent for homeless people with a funnel to catch and filter rain water, a pair of glasses with a vibrator to warn visually impaired when an object or person is close and a steering tiller for a charity’s adapted canal boat for disabled people. The schools that took part and attended the final were: Abbots Bromley School Q3 Great Barr Adcote School for girls Royal School Wolverhampton Brownhills School Sandwell Academy Sandwell Castle High St Peters Collegiate Wolverhampton Colton Hills Sir John Talbot school Whitchurch Holly Hall Academy Staffordshire University Academy Hednesford Madeley Academy Telford Langley Moor Park Telford Park School Oldbury Academy The Marches school Penkridge Middle Thorns Collegiate Academy Q3 Academy Langley .