Ms Lynsey Porter, Deputy Principal - Teaching & Learning
NRMA Future of Transport Challenge Sparks Coeducational Innovation
Congratulations to some of our Year 10 STEM students who volunteered their time during Term 3 to work on the NRMA Future of Transport Challenge as a joint initiative with some of the Year 10 girls at OLSH Kensington.
This Wednesday one of our boy and girl groups were declared winners of the challenge after pitching their shortlisted idea to a panel of judges and students from other schools. The aim of the challenge was ‘to encourage young people to follow their natural curiosity to solve real-world issues by innovating and thinking like entrepreneurs’.
You can learn more about the challenge by clicking the button below.
Click here to view information about the Future of Transport Challenge
The lead Waverley College teacher of this initiative was Mr Mark Neale and he has outlined below some further details.
The Year 10 volunteer STEM students and I found that this challenge was a great opportunity to connect with OLSH Kensington, particularly their Director of Learning Integration, Mr James Horrocks, and a volunteer group of Year 10 girls. We collaborated on a range of activities throughout Term 3 including the NRMA Transport Challenge. The boys and girls work in two groups—both split into a boy/girl mix—and they submitted two impressive ideas into the competition.
Congratulations to the following Waverley College students who were involved in this initiative:
- Cruz Clarkin
- Max Dent
- Axl Igra
- Ben Pelikan
- Tamen Peralta
- Nick Zanapalis
One of the group entries, the SWIFTFORM app by Ben Pelikan, Axl Igra from Waverley College and Clarissa, Marta and Savannah from OLSH Kensington, aimed to address the issue of overcrowding on buses, linking with Opal and social media to track commuters’ movement through tapping on and off buses.
This idea not only made it through to the finals, but was voted the winner in the Stage 5 category of innovative transport ideas! On Wednesday, 22 November 2023, out at the NRMA HQ in Homebush, the students had to pitch their idea to a panel of judges in front of the other schools. Battling the nerves, these students presented their app, responded to questions and engaged the audience in their ideas. Waverley and OLSH should be immensely proud of the students’ achievements and their efforts over the term-long project.
“NRMA project was cool, thanks for putting up with us and our ideas” – Axl Igra
This collaboration sparks a new space for including more co-educational learning opportunities for the young men of Waverley as well as future prospects in our new relationship with the girls of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College Kensington.
Special thanks to Mr James Horrocks, Mr Daniel Levitt and the girls involved in both groups:
- Clarissa Yeogh
- Marta Stowers
- Savannah Sanchez
- Camilla
- Amy Newman
- Camilla Casafus
Mr Mark Neale
TAS and VET Teacher
School Animal Welfare Officer
mneale@waverley.nsw.edu.au
