On Tuesday 27 August, 22 students represented Magdalene Catholic College in the 2019 Regional Finals of the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge™, the world’s foremost student competition for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics open to students from Year 5 through to Year 12. Each year more than 17 000 schools in 44 nations take on the challenge of developing the world’s fastest miniature F1 car. Here in Australia, approximately 22 000 students are involved each year.

Mimicking the world of a Formula One team, students have to follow a pathway of engineering and manufacturing disciplines: design, analyse, test, make and race. They are provided with access to real-world technology such as 3D CAD/CAM/CAE design software and soon become proficient in areas such as Coding, Computational Fluid Dynamics, Finite Element Analysis.

This program also aims to develop skills in problem-solving, project management, communication, presentation, teamwork, innovation, self-promotion, collaboration, marketing and entrepreneurialism. The car was then machined using a Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machine and professionally painted by the teams. Trade Display Booths are also developed by the teams to showcase the design and marketing elements of the competition and to also promote the various hub and team corporate sponsorship. It is the support of such, which is essential in supporting the students formulate and present their project elements required within the collaboration and links to industry judging areas.

Our teams, Edge Performance (Year 11 - Pro Senior) and our remaining 4 teams comprised of Aeronautics, Limitless Racing and Velociraptor from Year 9 and Hermes Racing from Year 8 in the Develop Category.

Aeronautics (Year 9)

Limitless Performance (Year 9). 

Edge Performance (Year 11)

Trade Booth Display (Pro Senior)

Aeronautics Car on the track.       

Velociraptors Car at Trade Booth.

Hermes Racing (Year 8)

Many students have worked tirelessly during Tuesday Sport since May as well as using their lunchtimes and even coming into school during their Winter break, to design their Formula 1 car, capable of 80-100 km/h in just over 1 second and developing an accompanying portfolio.  

The students were exemplary in their representation of our College. Conversing with industry personnel and working seamlessly under the pressure of the competition. We have also been successful with 3 of our teams (Edge Performance, Aeronautics and Hermes Racing) now progressing through to the State Finals which will be held at Western Sydney University in November. Keep an eye out for their progress and future design concepts as they prepare for the next level of competition.

We wish them all the best as they now begin to refine and improve their project elements for the State Finals.

Mr Ian Gorrie (F1 in School STEM Challenge - Macarthur Hub Coordinator)