SA students gear up for F1 in Schools world finals
A team of three South Australian high school students will put their STEM skills to the test when they represent Australia on the global stage at the F1 in Schools world finals in Saudi Arabia next month.
The year 12 Modbury High School students, who form Acrux, will complete against some of the brightest young minds from 51 countries for their place on the F1 in Schools podium, after placing second in the Australian National Finals and winning three awards.
FI in Schools is the largest school-based Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) competition in the world.
Designed to spark students’ interest in STEM-related subjects and careers, the competition requires students to design, manufacture, test and race miniature compressed air-powered cars.
Defence SA is proud to sponsor South Australia’s Acrux, which secured a place in the international leg of the Challenge, following their success at in-school, regional and national competitions.
Excited to showcase their car design to a panel of industry judges, Team Manager Kahlan Mashford believes Acrux is in a strong position leading up to the finals.
“This is the first competition where every team member has competed before, allowing us to improve significantly from nationals — and we believe we have,” Kahlan said.
“We are looking forward to seeing how other countries approach the competition and the criteria, but more importantly, share our experiences and learn from people across the globe.”
Joined by her teammates Mason Green as Lead Engineer and Luke Zawada as Pit Display Engineer, Ms Mashford said that while balancing the demands of Year 12 with the F1 workload had been challenging, their dedication had kept them motivated to continue competing.
“While winning would be a great reward, our passion for the competition and the connections we make along the way are what truly drive us,” she added.
Teams are involved in all aspects of the Challenge, which along with engineering design includes raising sponsorship funding, managing budgets, marketing and branding.
The Acrux brings extensive experience and specialised skills to the Challenge, including expertise in business administration, leadership, IT and technology and craftmanship.
Modbury High School teacher Karl Read said FI in Schools was an exciting way to engage students in STEM and connects them to real-world experiences and career opportunities.
“The benefits the students gain from being involved in F1 in Schools go beyond just building STEM skills. Students are exposed to hands-on experience in problem solving, teamwork and leadership, business skills, career opportunities and innovative thinking,” he said.
The FI in Schools 2024 World Finals will take place at Dhahran Expo, November 23-26. It is the first time the competition has been held in the Saudi Arabia in the event’s 24-year history.
