Year 7 and Year 8 students at Orewa College tested their problem-solving skills during in-school and inter-school EPro8 engineering competitions in November.

Student teams progress from in-school challenges to inter-school competition

Orewa College students put their engineering and problem-solving skills to the test in early November, with Year 7 and Year 8 students taking part in a series of EPro8 challenges held at the college.

Year 7 students competed in the morning and 28 Year 8 students in the afternoon in a within-school EPro8 competition. Working in teams of four, students completed a timed challenge to build “Ironing Man”, an exoskeleton constructed using EPro8 equipment and basic electronics.

The following day, the winning teams returned for the school final event. Teams were given a choice of three builds: a ball launcher, shoe-throwing scales, or a Jack-in-the-Box. Each challenge required students to plan carefully, collaborate effectively, and meet specific criteria in order to score points.

The winning Year 7 and Year 8 teams then progressed to the inter-school EPro8 competition on 18 November. Both Orewa College teams selected the remote-controlled shopping trolley build, which required students to apply their engineering skills under time pressure in a competitive setting.

Teacher Nicola Smits said both teams should be proud of their collaboration and their ability to work through a complex electronic build within a limited timeframe.

Year 7 student Ethan Jackson said he enjoyed the experience of working with friends while managing a time limit. “It’s good to learn new engineering skills in a fun way,” he said.

EPro8 challenges are designed to promote science, engineering, teamwork, and problem solving through hands-on, practical learning experiences.

Photo Credit: Nicola Smits