Killarney students up for the Challenge

Year nine and ten students from Killarney State School will take part in the Science and Engineering Regional Challenge at USQ for the first time this year.

Between 20 and 25 students from the 200 student school will travel to Toowoomba for the Challenge, which will be held from 15-18 May 2007.

Science Head of Department at Killarney State School Howard Gant said that the school's budding young scientists were looking forward to putting their scientific and lateral minds to the test.

'Our students have expressed interest in the Challenge and from what I have seen it has great potential for our students,' Mr Gant said.

'If it gets the kids interested in Science then it is a good thing.'

Killarney State School is one of 32 schools that will participate in the event, with more than 900 students expected at the University over the four days.

The event is also designed to get students interested in a career in Science or Engineering according to Darling Downs regional chair of the Science and Engineering Challenge Harry Spencer, who said that the Challenge in previous years had been an overwhelming success.

'In some areas where the Challenge has been run there has been a 25 per cent increase in the number of students who are doing enabling science subjects in Grade 11,' Mr Spencer said.

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,' Mr 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.'

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, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 1628