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Judges blown away by MNA Stem Challenge pupils’ high standards

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9th July 2018

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Problem solving and the ability to work as a team are just some of the valuable skills pupils have learned during the MNA STEM Challenge 2018, according to Dudley College of Technology’s principal.
 
Neil Thomas, who has a background in engineering, said the college, which has been the competition’s main sponsor, had been ‘super excited’ to host the judging day for the competition.
 
He told the Express & Star he had been blown away by the quality of the products designed and manufactured in a bid to help disadvantage people in the community.
 
Mr Thomas also congratulated the teams, teachers and mentors on their hard work and said the pupils were developing skills that would be benefit them in their future careers.
 
“It’s been absolutely brilliant,” said Mr Thomas.“When we started planning this a year ago, we had no idea it would be as successful as it has been.
 
“The effort that has gone it to has been first-rate and the amount of time the industry mentors have given has been brilliant.
 
“The young people have put a lot of thought into their products and they’ve learned those valuable problem solving, collaborative working and creative skills they will need later in life.
 
“There has been positive feedback from the employers, which is great to hear especially as some of these young people could end up working for these employers in the future.
 
“Everybody has been very positive throughout the whole process and now we’ve seen the results of their hard work,” he added.
The college’s assistant principal Shaun Hunt said he too was impressed with the high standard of the products designed by the pupils.
 
“There are some really interesting and innovative ideas. Everybody has looked at the brief in a different way,” he said.
 
“Everybody has put in a lot of time and effort and taken great care to come up with a product they believe will benefit someone who is disadvantaged.” When the challenge was launched in December last year, he said he hoped it would open pupils’ eyes to the ‘endless opportunities’ available within STEM subjects.
 
During the past few years, the college opened the £9 million Dudley Advance centre for manufacturing and engineering technology.
 
More recently, the £12m Dudley Advance II, which focusses on building technologies, was also launched.
 
The judging event for the MNA STEM Challenge 2018 took place in the ‘hangar’ at Dudley Advance II where students are taught the practical know-how required for fabricating and assembling buildings using the latest available technologies.
 
Both campuses are fitted with the latest equipment and technology aimed at equipping students with the skills needed in the industries.
 
The college has worked closely with employers to ensure both the facilities and curriculum match their requirements. In February, the college opened its doors to teachers and mentors so they could get an insight into the facilities available at the college.
 
From virtual reality to 3D printing, tutors carried out demonstrations and let visitors try out the equipment for themselves.
 
It aimed to give a better understanding of the technologies and technical equipment available for engineering, manufacturing and construction that could be incorporated into the projects.
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Tremendous skills means scheme is in good hands says ambassador

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9th July 2018

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“STEM is the future and it seems it’s in good hands”.
 
That’s the view of Malcolm Eyre – one of the two lead STEM Ambassadors for the MNA STEM Challenge 2018.
 
He said he had been very impressed by the effort, enthusiasm and talent displayed by the teams while they have designed and manufactured their products.
 
“The whole event has gone wonderfully well and the range of work from these young people was exciting and very diverse.
 
“The level of commitment and enthusiasm shown by these young people today has been very high – it’s been wonderful.
 
“I would like to thank the sponsors, the mentors and the staff at each of the schools for the support they have given.
 
“Everybody has done very well and should be very proud of what they have achieved.
 
“We’ve seen products that can be produced afterwards and that STEM talent coming through.
 
“STEM is the future and it seems it’s in good hands when you’ve got people like this.
 
“They’ve got a tremendous set of skills that will help them for high education or employment”, said Malcolm, who runs Staffordshire-based Entrust STEM and has more than 35 years’ experience of STEM education as well as design and technology.
 
Ahead of the challenge, Mr Eyre had emphasised the importance of these valuable subjects for pupils’ future careers.
 
“STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering and maths – are important because they open the doors for young people to opportunities, apprenticeships, and a vast range of occupations and careers.
 
“Qualifications in STEM subjects are valuable for young people giving them the capital to pursue careers and fill the skills shortages faced by employers,” he told the Express & Star.
 
Mr Eyre currently has responsibility for the management body of 1,300 STEM Ambassador volunteers and is also involved with more than 170 STEM businesses across the region.
 
Ambassadors  come from a broad spectrum of careers ranging from industrial chemists to electrical engineers, marine biologists to mathematicians, aeronautical engineering apprentices to medical physicists, and lab technicians to graduates.
 
They assist with classroom activities and STEM Clubs, provide an insight into career opportunities and facilitate workplace visits where appropriate.
 
They help students to develop vital skills, understanding of the subjects and their knowledge of potential careers in STEM. The second lead STEM Ambassador for the MNA STEM Challenge 2018 was Liz Smith. Both worked with mentors throughout the challenge providing advice and support where needed as they monitored the progress of the pupils’ projects
 
She has more than 20 years’ experience as a design and technology teacher in Derbyshire schools and assistant headteacher with responsibility for careers education and guidance.
 
Speaking about the challenge, Liz said: “It’s all about inspiring these young people about STEM and about the career opportunities that can arise from having these qualifications.
 
“It’s not just about science or technology,or engineering or maths individually, it’s also about showing them how all four of these can work together.”
 
The lead STEM Ambassadors said the judges had been looking for the teams’ ability to address the brief, identify the target audience and research their needs as well as good design skills, good communication skills and the personal development of students involved.
 
They also wanted to see the development of a realistic product to meet the individual or groups need they identified.
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News

STEM creativity is down to a science for MNA challenge schools

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9th July 2018

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Budding engineers, maths whizzes and future scientists demonstrated their innovative products during the judging day for the MNA STEM Challenge 2018.

The competition was launched by the MNA, publisher of the Express & Star and Shropshire Star, to promote the importance of the key Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths subjects.

Each team of six students had been tirelessly working towards the challenge for the last six months.

Among the teams taking part in the challenge was In Our Jeans from Castle High School in Dudley, mentored by Tom Batham and San Shevyn from Phoenix Materials Testing. They had invented a tent for homeless people with a built-in funnel to catch and filter rainwater. Science teacher and STEM co-ordinator Kati Taylor said: “It’s been a massive team effort. They have really engaged with science and they’ve got a lot out of it.”

ExoSkel from Oldbury Academy, partnered with voestalpine Metsec plc came up with the idea for a pair of glasses that had a built-in vibrator to warn blind or visually-impaired people when an object or person is close.

“It’s called the Ultra Lens and the idea is that’s more discreet than having a stick,” said 15-year-old Jai Mann.

The Monarchs from The Royal School, Wolverhampton wanted to help people with Seasonal Affective Disorder. The team, partnered with Finning CAT, created a device fitted to a bike to enable mechanical energy from pedalling to power light therapy. Oliver Furnival, aged 13, said: “It’s been fun and we’ve learned a lot.”

Pupils from Telford Park School and their mentor Joe Dawes from Veolia visited The Lyneal Trust, near Ellesmere, a charity offering canal boat holidays for people with disabilities and their family, friends and carers.

The team, named Serious About Science, made a steering tiller for the charity’s adapted canal boats which cater for disabled people.

Science teacher Hannah Newey said: “The visit to the charity was really beneficial and they were able to see how their idea could help other people.”

Team LITE (Langley Infinite Technological Enhancement) from Telford Langley School, manufactured Quiet Mind with the help of mentor Lee Drummond, director of teaching and learning at Telford-based Cadco. They have created a device to soothe people who might be suffering from stress or anxiety. If they can’t concentrate, there are lots of different materials and switches for them to play with and it can help them to feel calmer. “We had a few problems but we are pleased with how it turned out,” said Erin Tilley, 14.

A right-angle tent, made from recycled materials which repel water, aimed at making life more comfortable for rough sleepers was the creation of the Fabulous 6 from Colton Hills Community School.

Mentor Laura Palmer from City of Wolverhampton Council said: “It’s a beautiful idea they’ve come up with – they really wanted to help rough sleepers.”

Plan B from Penkridge Middle School had made a PH adaption kit for soil to enable people to grow healthy fruit and vegetables wherever they live. The team worked with mentor Andy Snape from Stafford College. “It would benefit people who can’t afford to eat healthily,” said 13-year-old Sophie Burgess. Solution Squad from The Marches School, Oswestry designed a computer app called taaz to help people with early stages of memory loss.

It provides a range of memory exercises which can be personalised with details and photographs from their lives. Physics teacher Russell Thomas said: “They really wanted to help people with Alzheimer’s and they’ve come up with a really good idea.”

The STEMinists from St Peter’s Collegiate School, Wolverhampton, designed an exercise device to help disabled people and people with MS to build muscle strength and benefit their motor skills.

Design and technology teacher Matthew Buck said: “It’s been a great experience for them and they’ve had a lot of opportunities they wouldn’t normally have had.”

The team representing Sandwell Academy – The Sandwell Project – invented A Puzzle Cast to benefit people with anxiety who suffer an injury. Mentor Neil Edwards from Western Power Distribution said: “There have been a few challenges along the way but when they’ve come up against a brick wall they’ve pushed past it or engineered a way around it.”

Q3 Quanta from Q3 Academy Great Barr made a water filtration kit, for the developing world, that uses natural materials that are readily available.

Head of Science Rob Burlace said: “It has really inspired them, a couple of them want to go into engineering and a couple want to go into the forces.”

Students at Moor Park in Ludlow designed The Cam-Castor to enable local charity Megan Baker House to adjust the height of chairs for disabled children. The team called The Laetificators also used a Victorian printing press to make greeting cards which the charity can sell to raise funds and worked with mentors from North Shropshire College.

The XSTEMINATORS from Abbots Bromley School invented a smart bracelet that could call an ambulance and set reminders for people to take medication. It also has a compartment for tablets.

Enja Stenton-Doe, 13, said: “We wanted to make something that could help a lot of people whatever their needs.”

Team SUA from Staffordshire University Academy created a bath-time assistant to help blind and visually impaired people draw a bath without fear of overfilling the tub. “It’s called a plug mate and it beeps when the bath is full so you don’t waste water,” said Chloe Payne, 14.

The team’s mentors were Melanie Fleet and Terry Nightingale from Thyssenkrupp UK. A pen to help pupils with ADHD was the product made by The Imagineers from Q3 Langley. Made with sensory materials for soothing children’s anxiety, it also had a lava lamp to focus attention. Learning assistant Kate Williamson said: “They’ve done really well. They have really enjoyed it.”

Brownhills School was represented by The Brownhills Engineering, Science and technology Challengers and was partnered with Black Country Chamber of Commerce. They had designed a ‘life survival kit’ which includes a water filter kit, collapsable bowl and cup and torch. Maths teacher Emily Harris said: “It’s been amazing to see the progress, especially with confidence, that they have made.”

* The overall winner was Thorns Collegiate Academy in Quarry Bank, Sir John Talbot’s School Whitchurch won Best Presentation and Madeley Academy in Telford won Best Team Work. Holly Hall Academy in Dudley walked away with the prize for Best Work Plan and Adcote School for Girls in Shrewsbury won Best Operating Model.
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News

Young inventors show off their creations in MNA STEM Challenge 2018

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9th July 2018

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From a reading aid for the blind and visually impaired to a chair in a briefcase for the homeless and elderly – young inventors have been showing off their creations in the MNA STEM Challenge 2018.
 
After months of hard work it was finally time for 21 teams from schools across the Black Country, Staffordshire and Shropshire to present their products to the competition judges.
 
The students had been set the brief of designing and manufacturing a product to improve or enhance the quality of life for a group or person they considered to be disadvantaged.
 
Each team was paired up with a mentor from a local business or organisation who have offered them advice and guidance since the challenge was launched.
 
There was a buzz in the air at Dudley College of Technology as pupils, teachers and business mentors gathered to share their ideas and working models.
 
And the results were very impressive with a diverse range of products on display around the room at the Dudley Advance II campus.
 
Judges spent the morning scrutinising their work plans, listening to the pupils’ presentations and watching demonstrations before announcing their winners.
 
The overall winner was Thorns Collegiate Academy in Quarry Bank, Dudley with their My Stand device, which will now be sold to help raise money for Sedgley-based Beacon Centre.
 
The team, named Little Einsteins, designed a stand for a mobile phone or tablet that enables blind and visually impaired people to make the most of a talking camera app called Seeing AI.
 
As well as holding a tablet or phone, it has an extra shelf so that a document can be placed at the ideal height and position in front of the device’s camera enabling the app to read the text out aloud.
 
While developing their product the team, whose mentors were Mel Sinar and Kira Edwards from Petford Group, were in regular contact with Matt Harrison, Beacon’s technology services manager, to ensure the product best suited people’s needs.
 
Science teacher Deb Bate said being named overall winners was ‘amazing’, adding: “It’s been a great experience and we’re delighted that thanks to Petford Group the Beacon Centre is going to be selling these stands in their shop.”
 
Team member Jasmine Lawrence, aged 14, said winning felt ‘surreal’ and they had all enjoyed taking part in the challenge.”
 
The winner of Best Presentation, sponsored by the University of Wolverhampton, was Team Dynamic from Sir John Talbot’s School Whitchurch.
 
Their creation, The Overlay Pen, was designed to help people with dyslexia by magnifying text and making it easier to read. Director of ICAT, Laura Richmond said: “The students have not needed much teacher input, so it really is their own product.”
 
The winner of Best Team Work, sponsored by Kuka, was the Look Busy team from Madeley Academy. With the help of science teacher Dr Christothea Constandinou-Williams and  mentor Glyn Ferriday from Reaseheath College, they designed a homeless shelter that was fully waterproof and insulated from the cold.
 
Dr Constandinou-Williams said: “They came up with a fantastic concept and have learned a lot of new skills.”
 
The winner of Best Work Plan, sponsored by Entrust, was the Holly Hauliers from Holly Hall Academy who were working with mentors Martyn Hughes and Ryan Young from Harco Engineering on their ‘chair in a briefcase’ product.
 
“You can carry it anywhere and everything, even the legs, fit inside,” said 14-year-old Alex Oleschuk.
 
Physics teacher Steve Jabore said: “It’s been nice to see their enthusiasm for the product.”
 
The winner of Best Operating Model, sponsored by DENSO, were the Atomic Acotians from Adcote School for Girls in Shrewsbury, who worked with mentor Amy Farley from Marches Centre of Technology & Manufacturing (MCMT).
 
The team of Year 7 and 8 pupils created a lightweight portable ramp that fits to the side of a wheelchair. 
 
The winners were presented with trophies by the sponsors. Each of the pupils who won category prizes received £10 One4all gift cards and the overall winners had £15 each.
 
Express & Star editor Keith Harrison congratulated all of the teams, saying: “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.”
 
Shropshire Star editor Martin Wright added: “The response from the schools was absolutely tremendous – and some of the ideas they came up with were equally impressive. I have no doubt that this campaign has uncovered some stars of the future.
 
“I would also like to thank our sponsors and the mentors – without them, the challenge would not have been such a big success.”
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