Congratulations to our Year 10 students who entered the RYSTEM (Regional Youth Science Technology Engineering and Maths) Challenge on Thursday 27 March 2025, sponsored by MidCoast Council, Engineers Australia (Newcastle) and the Taree Rotary Club. 

Year 10 Students who attended the Challenge:

Our St Clare’s Team won the $500 cash first prize donated by the sponsors towards a STEM project of their choosing for St Clare’s High School. 

Six secondary schools from our region competed in seven challenges in two sessions throughout the day, held at the Manning Uniting Church in Taree.  Teams competed for the most points in each and every challenge.  Each group was given limited resources to construct their engineering challenge, for which they needed to think creatively to be innovative in their designs.  Teamwork was the key. 

1. Bridge - design and construct a suspension bridge to support a progressively heavier dynamic load
2. Rocket – design and construct an air powered rocket to achieve both maximum altitude and range
3. Glider – design to carry a payload and land with precision
4. Power It – design and test an efficient power grid system to deliver electrical energy to a region
5. Robots – program motion of rovers to navigate various paths with speed and precision
6. Water Tower – design and construct a water tower of maximum height, capable of storing maximum water volume, and able to withstand progressively more intense earthquakes
7. Bionic Hand – design and construct a bionic hand capable of both gross and fine motor skills 

We were so proud of how all the students who attended, including all those from the other schools, worked together in their teams and supported each other.  They encouraged and applauded every other team in their successes.  They displayed excellent manners and showed their gratitude to the volunteers who helped them in the challenges and also pitched in to help pack up and clean up. 

John Walton, and his Taree and other regional Rotary Clubs members, have so generously given their time volunteering to set up as well as resource this event every year for several decades now.  Their commitment to the challenge and their attention to every student who attended were remarkable. 

Some memorable moments were: 

Kirsty-Lee, Shiloh, Lin, and Oliver having their rocket lodged in the organ pipes because it launched so high and so far, they needed to get an extension ladder to retrieve it! 

Pyper, Georgia, Addi and Alice creating the Toblerone-inspired winning design suspension bridge that held up until the very last massive trolley only just broke it in the last trial. 

Tayte, Marley, and Reef with John Walton in the final photo flashing the ‘gold trophy’ – 10 x gold $50 notes!  Cheeky boys.  We are sure John wants them back again next year as volunteers to help run the show! 

Let’s hope the RYSTEM program can continue to attract sponsorship and enthusiastic volunteers into the future to help inspire more young people to enter the field of STEM. 

A huge thank you to Ms Sheena O’Doherty who organised the students, encouraged them and took them to the challenge!  It is much appreciated. 

Mrs Jane Polson
Leader of Learning Science