ATRIUM Studio School in Ashburton is getting ready to enter Shell’s Bright Ideas Challenge this year, after their all-girl team scooped a top prize earlier this year.

The national schools’ science competition, now in its third year, invites students aged 11 to 14 to use their science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) skills and creativity to develop innovative solutions that could power the world’s future cities.

The prize for the national best ‘bright idea’ is £5,000 to ‘super-size’ the winning school’s STEM teaching.

More than 800 student teams have taken part in the competition to date, with more than £90,000 prize money awarded. The Atrium Studio School team was crowned 2017 winners for the South West region. Their winning ‘bright idea’ involved incorporating small hydro-electrical generators into the pipes of all sinks and toilets to generate electrical energy. They won £1,500 for their school as well as individual prizes and a VIP trip to Make the Future Live, Shell’s four-day festival of ideas and innovation in London.   

Sam Westaway, teacher at Atrium Studio School, said: ‘We’re looking forward to entering the competition again this year. The experience of taking part in the competition was brilliant for us.

‘Students really thrived when they were asked to solve some of the big challenges we’re facing as a society.

‘They put their STEM skills to work and the videos and materials helped us to hold creative brainstorming sessions and learn about future cities.

‘The prize money has been a real boost to the school. We’ve purchased a new pillar drill, light boxes, a strip heater, anatomical models, a Van der Graaff generator and 3D modelling pens.’

 The competition offers a unique and hands-on experience that sparks young people’s curiosity in science and engineering.

Other ‘bright ideas’ generated by the student teams over the last couple of years have ranged from piezoelectric sensors that convert the tiny vibrations from rain drops into electrical energy, to bacteria generators that convert food waste into electrical energy for homes.

The Bright Ideas Challenge rewards 14 teams across the country with £45,000 of STEM-related prizes. In addition to money to support STEM teaching, all winning team members from across the UK are given a funded VIP trip to Make the Future Live.

The festival offers students the opportunity to experience how people use and create energy in everyday life and explore future possibilities.

They can take part in interactive science shows, hands-on activities and engaging careers experiences, as well as see the world’s most energy efficient vehicles battle it out at the world-famous Shell Eco-marathon.

Additionally, at the festival, the finalists will be able to showcase their ‘bright ideas’ to the public and Shell VIPs before the national winner is announced.

The national winning team will receive a further £2,500, bringing their grand cash prize total to £5,000.

The Bright Ideas Challenge is now open for entries, up until April 27.

In a first this year, schools that enter before January 19 will be entered into an ‘early bird’ prize draw.

Five winning schools will each receive a facilitated STEM workshop at their school.