Newark & Nottinghamshire County Show 2012: President’s Challenge
Seven schools, in and around Nottingham and Newark have confirmed they will be submitting entries for the 2012 President’s Challenge. Project leaders from five of the schools say why they are taking part:
Dukeries College – Lindsey Maycock
“The President’s Challenge offered a great opportunity for The Dukeries College students to really get creative and feel like they could make a difference to an environmental issue. Completing the task has enabledstudents to gain a greater knowledge and understanding of Environmental and Conservation issues, whilst finding solutions to some of the problems that our planet faces.”
Friesland School – Abi Shapland
"At Friesland School, we run two extremely popular STEM Clubs, and The President's Challenge was the perfect conservation project for our budding engineers to get their teeth into. Our students have designed an automated watering system including sensors and a pump, which collects rainwater and uses it to water the allotment here on our school site. The students have developed many valuable skills - working in a team to research a problem and find a solution, then designing and building a working model. The Challenge is a great way to get young people thinking about the conservation issues that we are currently facing, and how they can help solve these problems as the engineers of the future."
Kimberley School – Deborah Taylor
"This project enthused our students. It offered an opportunity to think creatively, incorporate scientific and environmental knowledge and to consider the wider community. At The Kimberley School we believe everyone needs to understand the importance of sustainability; this project helped to highlight the issue in an imaginative and interesting way. This project was conducted as a house competition across Year8 as we felt this would give all students an opportunity to become involved in the challenge and represent The Kimberley School."
"It wasgood to be able to work in a team of people that we chose and to compete with the rest of Year 8" - HollyOrme, Year 8
Rushcliffe Comprehensive School – James Matthews
"We have found designing our own sustainable a challenge but one that we have really enjoyed. T he pupils have thrived being allowed the freedom to develop their own ideas outside of the classroom. They have shown great enthusiasm and imagination and it’s been a fantastic opportunity for the pupils and Rushcliffe as a school. We are looking forward to people seeing our product at the show"
Tuxford Academy – Geoff Lloyd (Head Teacher)
“Tuxford students were inspired by The President's Challenge to develop a green innovation project that is commercially viable. It has motivated our students as they have enthusiastically engaged in developing their project and involved them working as an effective team. Challenges such as The President's help to develop a wide range of skills within our young people and raise awareness of environmental issues that are pertinent to them.”
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The other schools entered are Ashfield School & Technical College and Toot Hill School.
Entries will be exhibited at the 2012 Newark & Nottinghamshire County Show (12 and 13 May) and the winning school will be presented with a cheque for £1,000 during the show (Saturday 12 May)