Melville High hosts schools for Science and Engineering Challenge

The local school groups engaged in hands-on activities involving principles of science, engineering and technology over three days.

Activities include building an earthquake proof tower, planning electrical networks, designing a load-bearing bridge, and creating a code using light.

The concept is to immediately engage students in the activity with a minimum of introduction and theory. Students explore scientific principles for themselves rather than being guided to a predetermined answer.

Camden Haven won the first day on Tuesday, May 14. Port Macquarie's St Columba Anglican School took out the title on day two, Wednesday May 15 and Frederickton Public School took home the trophy for Discovery Day.

The SEC was founded by the University of Newcastle and started in Kempsey in the year 2000 to address the skills shortage in science and engineering.

The event inspires young people to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) subjects in senior high school.

Since its conception, the SEC has grown to involve over 120 Rotary clubs and 30 Universities, reaching over 1,000 schools and 35,000 people nationwide in 2019.

The SEC is currently conducted in over 53 regions across Australia, including every state and territory. The competition is divided into three levels: regional, state and national.

Rotary Clubs of Kempsey, West Kempsey and South West Rocks, along with support of Kempsey Shire Council, sponsors and volunteers, helped make this year's event at Melville High School possible.

Day three of the competition was Discover Day which saw local primary schools come together to battle it out.

Team Leader Ayden Day from the University of Newcastle who helped run the SEC at Melville High School said great sportsmanship was shown throughout the competition.

"All the kids got involved, all screamed their lunges out supporting their teams...even other teams, the show of support and sportsmanship was fantastic," Mr Day said.

Frederickton Public School walked away with the win on Thursday, May 16, with the final bridge challenge the decider.

"Right at the end is what Frederickton did to pip second and move into first," Mr Day said. "Twelve points separated first and second place."

There are eight activities per day with 100 points up for grabs with each challenge.

"We had a fish trap activity, which is based on First Nations fish traps...that was one of our new [activities] and it was unbelievable," Mr O'Leary from the Rotary Club of Kempsey West said. "People really loved that, everyone was talking about it."

Aldavilla Primary School came in second, followed by St Joseph's Primary School, Kempsey in third place.

Member of Rotary Club of Kempsey West for more than 40 years, Richard O'Leary calls the SEC a 'premium project' of the club.

"The science challenge started in Kempsey in 2000 so this was our 24^th year of the SEC, and our 17^th year of the Discovery Day for the Macleay Valley primary schools," Mr O'Leary said.

High scores were hit over the three-day competition with day one and two seeing over 1500 scores out of 1600.

Mr O'Leary says our region's scores will be hard to beat by other schools around Australia.

"Overall we were really happy with the days," Mr O'Leary said.

Mr O'Leary says volunteers from the three Rotary Clubs of Kempsey and South West Rocks, funds raised within the community, and support of Kempsey Shire Council and other sponsors are what makes the event possible.

Mr O'Leary expects winning school groups from Camden Haven and Port Macquarie will move onto the next stage of the competition which will be held in Newcastle later in the year (2024).

"If they do well there, they go to the National level," he said.

"In previous years St Columba has won the national competition."