Record number of students to attend Challenge

Close to 1000 grade nine and ten high school students will descend on USQ this week (Tuesday 15-18 May 2007), for the Science and Engineering Regional Challenge.

Now in its sixth year, the four-day event will test some of the regions brightest minds.

'We have attracted a record number of students this year, as most of the schools are sending more students then they have in the past,' Science and Engineering Regional Challenge event coordinator Kerry Wilkie said.

'There will be about 1000 students here and we are all looking forward to the event.'

The high-profile competition has attracted schools from across South-East Queensland.

'As well as the Toowoomba schools, we have students from regional places such as Killarney and Taroom and also some Ipswich schools, including Ipswich Grammar, Ipswich Girl's Grammar and St Peter Claver College,' Mrs Wilkie said.

'The Ipswich schools had the opportunity to go to other Science and Engineering Challenges that are being run in Brisbane but chose to come because we have a really good reputation, which we hope to build on this year.'

The hands-on competition is designed to attract students to a career in Science and Engineering.

'It is aimed at grade nine and ten students to convince them to study Science in Senior,' Mrs Wilkie said.

'Hopefully then they will go on to do Science and Engineering courses at university.'

Over the course of the four days students will be tested with a series of unique activities.

'There are over 20 activities that we have to choose from including several new ones, which have only just been developed,' Darling Downs regional chair of the Science and Engineering Challenge Harry Spencer said.

'Throughout the Challenge each school will get the chance to do each activity and at the end we will crown a regional champion.'

Media are welcome to attend the Science and Engineering Regional Challenge on any or all of the four days.

Date claimer: USQ will be hosting the National Science and Engineering Challenge from 17-18 October 2007 at the Clive Berghofer Recreation Centre.

Media Contact: Josh Ada, +61 7 4631 1628