On Monday, 19 May, 32 students braved an early frosty morning to travel to Hobart as one of the 8 finalist teams from across the State in the Science and Engineering Challenge for 2025.

The teams were randomly allocated a range of challenges that involved a variety of science and engineering tasks such as designing a house to withstand winds and flooding, communicating in code, developing an electrical network, designing a balsa wood glider to hit a target and create indigenous fish traps using fake stonewalls and marbles as model fish.

There was also the Bridge Building team – using masking tape, cardboard and balsa wood they had to construct a bridge that would be challenged by an increasing weight on a moving trolley.

Each team had 4 members, with teamwork and communication skills being as important to the outcome as construction and problem solving.

At lunch, less than 100 points separated all the teams with Riverside sitting fourth.

For the afternoon session 6 of the teams rotated to different challenges (the housing design and bridge teams stayed the same).

The last activity of the day was the Bridge Challenge where all the bridges are tested with increasing weights on the trolley.  This was indeed a nail-biting finish as Riverside High was the only team to make a bridge that survived the 8.5 Kg Bridge Buster intact.

Then came the final scores and winning team – any nails left, were chewed again as 6 teams were placed and still no Riverside High School. Did we take out the State Final?

Almost but not quite – Riverside was second, but only by 10 points.  Given this is a statewide event, to come second by only 10 points was no mean feat and is an incentive to find 11 extra points next year.

More important than the competition was the fact that the students enjoyed the opportunity to extend themselves in ways not available in the classroom. It was certainly a long day but a lot of fun for both staff and students. 

Stephen Hindrum
Science Teacher