In Semester 1, our Year 7 students embraced creativity and coding through the Australian Video Game Challenge.
Following a structured design brief, they developed and programmed their own games, with several outstanding entries submitted to the national competition. Their second major project, Dream It, Design It, Pack It, encouraged teamwork and innovation. Students collaborated in groups to design, 3D print, and market a product, gaining valuable experience in packaging and promotion.
Year 7 students have also been using the new plastic recycling machines installed in the TIDES room, generously sponsored by the P&F. This initiative has been a fantastic hands on project, raising awareness about plastic recycling within our school community and encouraging sustainable practices among students.
Year 8 students kicked off the year with the Synergy Solar Car Design Project, working alongside an enthusiastic team of Year 6 students. Together, they participated in the Metropolitan Qualifying Finals, a day filled with excitement and learning. In Term 2, the focus shifted to the Young Game Changer Design Challenge: The Future of the Regions. Students identified regional issues and developed innovative solutions in teams. Notable entries included a “Health Stick” to support remote healthcare using virtual reality, and creative water storage solutions for agriculture. Several of these ideas have been entered into the national competition.
Our Year 9 and 10 Robotics students have been actively preparing for competitions. Year 9s focused on RoboCup, while Year 10s dedicated their efforts to the FIRST Tech Challenge. The Year 10 team also represented the FIRST Robotics program at the Careers Expo, showcasing the benefits of robotics education and offering hands on experiences to students and teachers alike. The Students spent all day at the Expo on Thursday, enthusiastically fielding questions and encouraging other schools to consider participating in future competitions. Several Students were so committed they returned on Saturday to continue representing the programme. The team also presented during the Expo's seminar series, delivering a short talk outlining their journey in robotics, what they have learned and their future goals, both for themselves and for the expansion of robotics competitions in WA.
This is the first year the FIRST Robotics initiative has been part of the Careers Expo and it proved a valuable platform for raising awareness and sparking interest among educators and industry alike. We hope to build on this momentum in 2026 by inviting more schools to bring their robots, with the ambition of hosting a live, competitive robotics event as part of the Expo experience.
Looking ahead to Semester 2, Year 7 students will take part in the $20 Boss program, and Year 8s will engage in Digital Boss, both aimed at developing entrepreneurial skills and launching student led businesses. Meanwhile, our senior Robotics teams will continue preparing for several upcoming state competitions, building on the momentum and enthusiasm from Semester 1.