Students at Shireland Collegiate Academy in Smethwick have won a national award for their STEM Clubs Week project to design, manufacture and race their very own speed boats. Around 3,000 schools across the UK celebrated the second ever STEM Clubs Week running activities to showcase the creativity, problem-solving and employability skills that their science, technology, engineering and maths activities offer.
Shireland STEM Club challenged their pupils to design and build their own speed boat to race down an eight metre track set up in the school hall. The club’s engaging work during the week won them the Most Original STEM Club Activity award as pupils competed to see who could build the fastest vessel. In the past Shireland STEM Club members have designed and built scalextric cars and the school now boasts 200 students in Year 10 alone studying Design.
STEM Clubs Week is coordinated by the education charity STEMNET, and aims to encourage and inspire all schools to form a club and explore the potential of STEM skills.
Kirsten Bodley, STEMNET’s CEO said:
“Shireland Collegiate Academy is doing a wonderful job of broadening their pupils understanding of STEM subjects. The number of pupils getting involved with STEM activities is a testament to this success. Engaging and inspiring challenges like this really do help students develop invaluable skills and a greater understanding of the possibility of STEM.”
Students at Shireland commented:
“I enjoyed the day as it was nice and creative, it taught me about maths and science in a different way, allowing me to do something a little differently” – Aliya Hamjid, year 9
“I really enjoyed the day as I really enjoy competition, this task allowed me to compete against my friends, learning about STEM in a way that I haven’t do so before” – Samanta Dobrovolska, year 9
