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| Please send news items on your club's activities with photo(s) to jane.martin@scdi.org.uk |
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| Inverclyde Academy Crowned Club of the Year |
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| Congratulations to Inverclyde Academy which won Club of the Year in June, winning a trophy and £500 for their club. |
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| Bucksburn Academy off to Hawaii |
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Congratulations to Bucksburn Academy, Aberdeen, for winning the MATE Scotland ROV Challenge hosted by Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen on 26 March. As their prize, the Bucksburn Aquablazers team headed to the International final in Hawaii in June. Dyce Academy came second and Menzieshill High, Dundee, were third. Other prizes were as follows:
Technological Aspirations - Robert Gordon College
Engineering Excellence - Hazelhead Academy
Newcomers Encouragement Award - Oban High School
Poster Award - Inverurie Academy |
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Inaugural Highlands & Islands Showcase - 25 March 2010
Centre for Health Science |
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Around 180 pupils, teachers and companies from across the Highlands & Islands took part in this inaugural event. In the words of Imogen from Inshes Primary School, this day was "brilliant, fun, wonderful!" |
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| Dallas Primary School won the Primary Technology Challenge trophy and Kinlochleven High School scooped the Secondary trophy. |
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| Bearsden Academy Scoops National Award |
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| Young Engineers and Science Clubs were represented at the Big Bang Fair in Manchester, 11-13 March by Bearsden Academy, East Dunbartonshire. |
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| Photo supplied by youngeng.org |
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| The Club won the category of "Best Problem Solving" and was presented with a cheque for £500. |
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| Congratulations also to David Muir of Duncanrig Secondary, East Kilbride who was awarded "Highly Commended" in the National Science and Engineering competition. |
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| Pedal Power at Sanderson’s Wynd Primary, Tranent |
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| The ‘Imagineers’ Engineering Club at Sanderson’s Wynd Primary in Tranent have made an eco friendly, lighting star to put on top of the Christmas tree. Miss Waddell had the crazy idea a year ago that we could power our fairy lights with a bike and we decided to take on the challenge. This resulted in over a month’s hard work and a lot of head scratching from Mrs McNeill! |
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After researching the things we need, we realised that we didn’t really understand how a bike could make electricity and emailed the science department at Ross High asking for help. Mr Laud invited us up and taught us about electricity and that it is the flow of electrons. He showed us that we could make electrons move using by moving a magnet through a coil of wire. This is the process used to generate electricity at the Hoover Dam, nuclear power stations like Torness and also in dynamos. We were very interested in the dynamo as this was a solution that Dylan had suggested after talking to his Granddad. Mr Laud then provided us with a few dynamos and a variety of thing we could power with it which was great fun.
After our very enlightening visit to Ross high we knew that we needed to attach a dynamo to the bike in order to generate the electricity needed for our fairy lights. Fortunately Mrs McNeill was able to source one on EBay and we had it in time for our next meeting. The next problem was getting a child sized bike and some means of lifting the rear wheel of the bike so that we could power the dynamo without the bike tearing off down the corridor with the Christmas tree in tow!
Kira knew that she had an old bike at home and her mum had a device especially designed to convert a road bike into an exercise bike. After a quick phone call to ask permission to use these things we were all organised apart from fairy lights. Mr Laud had suggested that we look for battery powered LEDs as they did not require much power to light. Unfortunately they only came in 30 light stings and would look a tad silly on our big tree. After another consultation with Mr Laud he seemed pretty sure that we could light up a longer string of LEDs that were mains powered with a little jiggery pokery. Unfortunately this was not possible and brought us back to the drawing board where our fantastic star which is now on top of our Christmas tree came into being. |
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The grand ‘pedal’ on will be Monday 7th December and we will be explaining how it all works to the classes and giving children an opportunity to power the light themselves. |
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| We’d like to say a huge thank to Mr Laud for all his help and also to Mr and Mrs Scott for lending us the bike and stand. We couldn’t have done this without your support. |
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Derek the Dalek lights up the Dark Sky
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| As promised Derek, the now famous Dalek, built by pupils from Newlands Primary School helped celebrate the ‘Looking to the Moon’ event at the Eastgate Theatre Peebles with GMTV during the Tweed Forest Festival in October. |
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| Almost 200 P6 and P7 pupils from Peebles High Feeder and Edinburgh primary schools enjoyed two days of ‘hands on’ Moon themed workshops including the Edinburgh Royal Observatory Star lab, the SCDI helium satellites and the Selex electronic lights. Comments from the children included ‘awesome, amazing, fantastic and when can we come again’ and their teachers were equally complimentary! |
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| On Tuesday evening Professors Geoff Palmer and Martin Hendry arrived to amuse and inspire the audience. Geoff Palmer was for many years head of Brewing at Heriot Watt University and he, after a light hearted reference to the role of ‘Moonshine’ in his life, wove the history of Brewing in Scotland, its vital role in the Scottish economy and its ever important part in Fairtrade into a fascinating picture of a scientist and his mission that will not be easily forgotten. |
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| Professor Martin Hendry lectures in Astronomy at Glasgow University and is one of the rare breed who can bring his passion and enthusiasm for astrophysics to an audience of all ages and stages. His ‘Fly me to the Moon’ took us on a journey of discovery from the ancient astronomers to the 21st. Century plans 40 years after men first set foot on the Moon. Currently in this ‘Year of Astronomy’ Prof. Hendry and his colleagues aim to reach the Guiness book of Records by ‘constructing’ the world’s largest model of the Solar System across Scotland with Glasgow as its ‘sun’. Peebles is somewhere in the Asteroid belt!! |
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NEW – Launch of T3C – Tried and Tested Technology Challenges for P6/7/S1 |
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| Jess Cooke, Club Coordinator for Glasgow and Inverclyde has put together a menu of 15 tried and tested technology projects for Primary 6/7 and S1. The projects are cheap and easy to resource and are ideal activities for a Young Engineers Club. Feedback on any projects undertaken will be welcome. |
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| Click here for T3C booklet |
| Click here for T3C Teacher’s Support Notes |
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| "Science Clubs Essential in Expanding Skills Base" |
| Click here for article in the Inverness Courier |
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| Tarbert Academy crowned "Highlands & Islands Club of the Year" |
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| The club was presented with its award at the Highlands & Islands Dinner and Awards in Inverness on 18 September. |
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| Bankhead Academy Crowned "Club of the Year" |
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The Awards were presented by Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Schools and Skills who commented: “The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that young people in Scotland are given every opportunity to develop the skills they need for life in the 21st century, which is why I’m delighted that the Scottish Government is supporting the Young Engineers and Science Clubs organised by the SCDI.
This programme makes science and technology learning real for young people, as they have the chance to experience the realities of the world of work, improve their teamwork and communication skills and utilize their creative talents. These are all essential skills for life beyond school” |
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| "Invention of the Custard Cream Club" |
| Herald article on Clarkston Primary Young Engineers & Science Club |
| Click here |
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| Kilmacolm Primary Young Engineers Club |
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| The Times Educational Supplement recently featured the work of the Kilmacolm Primary Young Engineers Club – click here to read the article |
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| Bankhead Academy |
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| Michael Franklin, Director, Lloyd’s Register Educational Trust visited the Young Engineers Club at Bankhead Academy on 4 June and met with Club Leaders David Duthie and Blair Paton. Pupils presented various projects undertaken this year including the ROV-MATE, Go4SET and Greenpower. |
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| Michael Franklin (centre) pictured with club members and the club’s new Greenpower car. |
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| EngineerAid Scrapyard Scramble |
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| Congratulations to Peebles High School Young Engineers who won top prize at the EngineerAid Scrapyard Scramble held at Edinburgh University on 21 March: |
| http://www.phsengineering.net/news.php?step=news&item=41 |
| http://www.engineeraid.com/scrapyard/ |
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| Working Together to Light Up Curriculum for Excellence |
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Working together to communicate Enthusiasm for Science and Engineering to Scottish Children lies at the very heart of the SCDI Young Engineers and Science Clubs Initiative. So what better invitation could be accepted during the recent Science and Engineering Week than to take part in a Celebration at the newly refurbished Museum of Communication in Burntisland, Fife. The museum directors have amassed an awesome array of artefacts in their magical storerooms, some of which have now been skilfully converted into compulsive ‘hands on’ activities for children of all ages, communicating the enormous contribution made by Scottish Engineers and Scientists to world history. No one could have missed the name Alexander G. Bell, but to actually dial a number on a real ‘phone, persuade a friend to answer the bell on a second and to see all the switch gear operating in between, communicates in minutes what could take hours to explain. |
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What better way to communicate Scotland’s contribution today to Science and Engineering than to have two real design Engineers from Selex Edinburgh demonstrating their own skills. Chief technologist Roger Hill MBE and Jamie Cockburn, new graduate and IET student website designer took up the challenge. |
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Thirty three pupils from P6 at Burntisland primary accepted the invitation and arrived on time with their teachers. Pupils needed little encouragement to find the answers for the museum’s worksheets by working in pairs to investigate each exhibit and to involve staff and teachers as required. There was great excitement too as they realised that the Selex engineers were soldering and programming ‘light-up’ circuits for them to take home. These circuits have been designed by Roger for school use and are currently being trialled by some SCDI Clubs. As time to leave arrived no-one wanted to go home, everyone wanted to come again and the answer to where the best Engineers and Scientists of tomorrow will be from was a confident, SCOTLAND. |
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| Duncanrig Young Engineers Scoop National Award |
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| Young Engineers and Science Clubs Scotland were represented at the Big Bang Fair in London, 4-6 March, by Duncanrig Secondary, East Kilbride, Merchiston Castle, Edinburgh and Farr High School Caithness. Link to report (but call it Duncanrig Young Engineers Scoop National Award). |
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Duncanrig Secondary School’s Young Engineers Club took part in ‘The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Fair’ held on 4th to 6th March 2009 at the QEII Conference Centre, Westminster, London. A series of regional events were held to select the clubs to go through to the final at ‘The Big Bang’. The best Young Engineers Clubs in the UK were competing for major awards and prizes. Scott Buchan (13), Jonathan Powell (13), Ross Bunting (12) and Adam Bingham (12) won a National Club Award for Problem Solving, evident in both their individual projects and their participation in the ‘Transporting Treasure Challenge’. The challenge consisted of two teams who were divided into smaller groups.
Each group were given different parts of a coded message that had to be relayed to the final group, who had to crack the code that opened the treasure chest. Scott, Jonathan, Ross and Adam had to plan and build a structure going through a gap in one wall and over the top of a second wall. The structure had to incorporate a method of raising and lowering a red and green flag to be used to transmit a message in Morse code. The red flag represented the dot and the green flag represented the dash. The Duke of York who was in attendance for the opening ceremony visited the groups during the challenge.
During the trip home, the boys were asked which part of the fair they had liked the best. Scott and Ross answered, “All of it”. Jonathan answered, “The Transporting Treasure Challenge”, and Adam answered, “The awards ceremony”. |
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| Click here to find out more about the Big Bang Fair http://www.thebigbangfair.co.uk/home.cfm |
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| "New name with reinforced purpose: Young Engineers & Science Clubs big push" |
| - Press & Journal, Energy, 05/01/09 |
| Click here for the article |
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| Banff Academy receives its award for “Club of the Year 2008” |
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| Banff Academy received its award for “Club of the Year 2008” at SCDI’s glittering Gala Dinner and Awards on 21 November. |
| Click here for their case study |
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| North East Regional Showcase |
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| 25 November 2008, Peterhead, SCORE Training |
| Around 80 North-East Young Engineers and companies took part in our first Regional Showcase at Peterhead. The event was sponsored by BP and Shell and hosted by Score Group. |
| Event Partners were Shell and BP. |
| Click here for the photo album |
| Click here for the video |
| Click here for the programme |
| Click here for the coverage of the event in the Aberdeen Press & Journal |
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| Adam Smith College, Kirkcaldy |
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Members of the Young Engineers Club at Adam Smith College, Kirkcaldy, were invited to Scottish Water’s Glenfarg Water Treatment Works for the day to learn about what a career in civil engineering entails. The trip was coordinated by Black & Veatch. Talks were given by Scottish Water and Black & Veatch on the water treatment processes, mechanical, process and electrical engineering, the use of process and instrumentation diagrams, site safety and Considerate Constructor initiatives.
A site tour was also undertaken. “Our visit was extremely interesting and educational” Bill Hutchison, Schools and International Manager at Adam Smith College and Leader of the Young Engineers Club said. “The children were still talking about it when we reached the College and went home telling parents about their great day. Please pass on a big thank you from all of us to you and your team. I hope they weren’t taken aback by the searching questions and observations of our Young Engineers!” |
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| Westray Junior High Win Highlands and Islands Young Engineers Club of the Year |
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Westray Junior High School, Orkney, has won the accolade of Highlands and Islands Young Engineers Club of the Year.
The award was presented at SCDI's Highlands and Islands Annual Dinner and Business Excellence Awards on 19 September. The award was presented by James Smith, Chairman of Shell.
Formed in 1985, Westray Junior High School has one of the longest established clubs in the Young Engineers network. Led by teacher, Willie McEwen, who has recently retired from the school, the club displays great ingenuity, teamwork and problem solving skills by utilising a variety of scrap or recycled equipment to create products. Recent projects have included wind turbines and driveable buggies. |
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The judges were highly impressed by the club’s most recent piece of work, an electric trike, which it showcased at SCDI’s Annual Celebration of Engineering held in Glasgow in June. |
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| Lighting Up Curriculum for Excellence |
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| Teacher Workshop, Eastgate Centre, Peebles In association with Determined to Succeed and Selex Galileo |
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Borders teachers (primary and secondary) enjoyed a hands-on soldering and technology workshop at the Eastgate Centre on 20 November where they learned how to use light-up circuits.
Here they pictured hard at work: |
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| Blairgowrie High School Tackle F1 in Schools Challenge |
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Blairgowrie High School, Perthshire, first became involved in the F1 in Schools Technology Challenge in 2004. Our School had seen successes at previous World Championships having competed in 2006 and in 2007 when our all-girl team managed to come second. This year we took part in the World Championships in Kuala Lumpur in May with our F1 in Schools Team “Fusion”, in collaboration with Pietermaritzburg College in South Africa. |
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The team’s task was to design, analyse and build a scale model racing car from balsa wood, powered by pressurised carbon dioxide gas canisters. Various software packages including Computer Aided Design and Computational Fluid Dynamics were used to design and analyse the car. |
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In addition, Computer Aided Manufacturing software then created a 3D model of the virtual data from balsa wood using a Computer Numerically Controlled router – in our case a 4-axis Denford Microrouter which the school had recently invested in. |
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Team members were assigned particular responsibilities but also worked together on many of the tasks. This was especially challenging as it involved liaison with our counterparts in South Africa.
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One important job for all of the team was to find sponsorship to cover the costs of materials, flights and accommodation. We would not have been able to compete in Kuala Lumpur without the help of our major sponsors, including Heil Engineering, Scottish Council for Development and Industry, BAA Scotland, Riverside Engineering, Perth and Kinross Council and Proctor Group Ltd. |
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The travel around Kuala Lumpur was organised by the Ministry of Education. Places we visited included the Petronas Towers, the Petrosians Building, the Sunway Lagoon Theme Park and and Sepange International Grand Prix circuit. |
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The World Championship competition was held at the Sunway Lagoon Hotel over 3 days and involved Auto Time Trials, Reaction Time Racing and Knockout Racing. Teams from 25 countries all over the world competed for the Bernie Ecclestone trophy. There was a high level of sportsmanship among competitors and it was great to see new ideas and innovations others had come up with. |
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Unfortunately the South African part of the team could not manage to travel to Malaysia due to withdrawal of sponsorship at the last minute. This meant that we were disqualified from the competition, having previously being ranked 8th – the highest ranking collaborative team in the competition. |
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However, we enjoyed the competition very much. The opportunities made available to us were truly beneficial, helping us to develop skills which helped us to focus our teamwork, leadership and problem solving abilities. |
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| 2008 IMechE Greenpower Competition |
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Greenpower is a national project which has been running since 1999 and is designed to promote and encourage young people to develop an interest in and understanding of engineering and technology.
The programme involves students in the practical applications of engineering as they design, construct and race an electric car. The project is divided into separate ‘Formulae’ to suit different age groups and to allow continuity from Primary right through to S6 - Primary 7 (Goblin), S1-S4 (F24) and post 16 years (F35 and Catapult - as F24 with added suspension). Each stage builds and develops the skills gained from the previous Formula. Students are encouraged to run this project as a racing team focusing not just on the engineering challenge but also to consider the marketing, sponsorship and business aspects involved. |
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A combined inter-school Goblin and F24 Final was held on Sunday 22 June at the Grampian Transport Museum in Alford. The first three F24 cars won through to attend the National Final at Goodwood in October 2008. The first three teams were Grampian Transport Museum/Alford Academy, Banff Academy and Bankhead Academy who competed at the national Final at Goodwood in October. |
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| No prizes were won on this occasion but the teams had a great time. |
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| Click here for the National Final photo album. |
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| MATE Scotland ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) Challenge |
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The MATE Scotland ROV Challenge competition was held at Robert Gordon University in April. The ROV challenge takes place across the US, Canada, Hong Kong and Scotland. |
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Congratulations to Bridge of Don Academy who came first and won air tickets to take part in the International Competition in San Diego.
Congratulations also to the three other teams that made it to the competition: Banff Academy, Dyce Academy and Peterhead Academy.
For further information on this year’s competition, contact Maureen Traquair, Maureen.traquair@opito.net
Click here to view the photo album |
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Lochaber High Take on the Royal Navy Challenge in Portsmouth |
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Lochaber High had two teams at the finals of the Royal Navy Challenge in Portsmouth - and both teams came away with prizes.
In total they won £450.00. During their three days in Portsmouth (staying on the decommissioned destroyer H.M.S. Bristol) the students were well looked after by all the squad at H.M.S. Sultan Navy Base.
One of the highlights - apart from winning awards - was a trip up in a Royal Navy helicopter along the Portsmouth coast... with one of two tricks performed by the pilot in the air.
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| Mearns Primary School Go Green in BAE Systems SEEC Competition |
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| Primary 5 pupils from Mearns Primary School took part in the BAE systems SEEC competition. |
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All pupils had to build a model from 'junk' which could be used in the schools eco garden to reduce, reuse, recycle.
The school was awarded first prize for one child's model and design. He designed the "Water Worm" which was a long plastic tube attached to a plastic box. The tube had a funnel on it. This was to collect rainwater which could be cleaned for drinking water. |
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