Students from Chertsey Public School and Terrigal High School are ready to compete in the final stage of the award-winning Game Changer Challenge in Parramatta to be held November 7-9.
Selected as two of 24 grand finalists, the Chertsey team, Kapok Kids, and Terrigal team, All Stars, will use design thinking methodology to help solve a real-world wicked problem in the Department of Education’s Game Changer Challenge.
This year students have been asked to invent or innovate something that will change our world and leave a lasting impact.
The students from Kapok Kids are devising access to essential items like toiletries and non-perishable food products for low-achieving university students using a donation box system.
The All Stars are looking at how to augment the existing period product access service in schools with tailored ordering and delivery methods.
“The Game Changer Challenge harnesses the power of young minds to solve the real-world problems of today and those we will face in the future,” Education Department Secretary Murat Dizdar said.
“Over the past six years we’ve seen students of all ages take what they have learned in the classroom and transform their ideas into innovative and practical solutions.”
The 2023 Game Changer Challenge wicked problem was inspired by a United Nations Sustainable Development Goal to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.
A record number of submissions were received this year, with almost 400 teams entering.
Of these, 120 teams participated across eight virtual semi-finals, with the 24 highest-scoring teams progressing to the three-day grand final event to be held at the department’s Parramatta office.
On November 9 teams will present their solutions and prototypes at the Game Changer Challenge Ideas Expo, where judges and industry partners will wander around the expo area, interacting with students, learning about their ideas and sharing feedback.
A virtual expo will be published on the Game Changer Challenge website, allowing visitors to virtually walk through the Ideas Expo and view team ideas and prototypes.
Winners will be announced at 12.30pm.
Visit the Game Changer Challenge website for more information – https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/game-changer-challenge