A group of students from Rollands Plains Upper Public School are getting ready to represent Australia at the FIRST Lego League Asia Pacific Open Championships after scoring a wildcard entry into the competition.
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The international competition will take place in Sydney at Macquarie University from June 29.
The team consists of year five and six students Flynn, Lucas, Felix, Brandon, Levi, Luca and Beren, with their team leader from last year, Oliver re-joining the team for this competition, despite now being in year seven.
The competition's theme focused on ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable, and modern energy for all.
The team has spent months solving a problem in the local area, in particular preventing animal related car accidents using a solar powered warning system.
The team developed a solar powered sensor to sit on top of farm fencing so when animals, such as kangaroos, are close to the road, the sensor is triggered and a light is emitted to warn drivers to take caution driving in that area.
As part of the design process, the team interviewed electrical engineers and members of the community to ensure their innovation project could be a useable design and responsive to the needs of the community.
In preparation for the Asia Pacific Open Championships in Sydney this June, the team has continued to refine their project after reviewing feedback from competition judges, community, and industry professionals.
Rollands Plains Upper Public School student and team member, Luca said he was "really excited" to hear they had gotten the wildcard entry.
"I'm really excited and really proud to have gotten this far," he said. "It's the biggest achievement our school has ever gotten, so we are all super happy.
"We had this idea when someone from our community was driving to school and a kangaroo jumped out at them.
"They made a comment and asked if there was a device to stop this from happening, and we just developed our idea from there."
Luca said after a few trial and errors, they arrived at the solar powered sensor design.
"We started with weird ideas, like making a dome solar panel but we thought that that wouldn't work," he said.
"Then we thought about putting lights on the sides, but we thought that would be too bright for drivers, so we changed it to just a light on the front of a straight solar panel."
The team will present their project to a panel of judges before taking part in three Lego Robot Runs, which involves completing tasks around an obstacle course resembling a farm yard.
"The judges will add up all the points at the end and we just hope that we get the most," Luca said.
The school has successfully competed in the Lego League over the past 2 years, with the competition encouraging hands on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) experiences and learning.
Rollands Plains Upper Public School learning and support officer, Naomi Hutton, coaches the team at school, supporting the boys to prepare for the various challenges in the competition, and Warren Reynolds from Hastings Secondary College visits the school weekly to train the team and provide feedback and advice on the robot and innovation project.
School principal Katie Smith said for a regional school of only 24 students, it was a significant achievement to be selected in the international tournament and a cause for great pride and excitement in the community.
"It's very exciting, I am a very proud principal," she said. "For any school to get to this level is amazing, but for a little school of 24 kids to get selected in an international competition... [it's] pretty incredible.
"The thing I like about their concept is that it solves a problem that is relevant to the boys and their lives out here in Rollands Plains.
"They are very rural-minded children who want to make a difference in the community and this project is one way of showcasing that."
Ms Smith said it was important for students engage in STEM projects from an early age.
"What STEM can provide, even for a rural community, is huge," she said. "If you think of farming, it's not just about animals anymore.
"The robotics involved in running a farm is huge, so for these boys to understand that through coding and robotics at this young age.. [it] means that they will have a great understanding of robotics [if they choose to remain on the farm when they're older]."
The students showcased the team's impressive projects on June 7 to Federal Member for Cowper Pat Conaghan, Member for Oxley Michael Kemp and Mayor of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council Peta Pinson in preparation for the competition.
Peta Pinson said she was "blown away" by the team's concept.
"The concept is outstanding, but what's more outstanding is the level of sophistication from these 11 and 12- year-olds," she said.
"I am absolutely blown away and I know they will have a big future in design and innovation. I'm really excited for them and I wish them every success in the competition. "
Team member Levi said he can't wait to head to Sydney for the competition later this month.
"It's all really exciting," he said. "I'm looking forward to all of it, like meeting new people, exploring Sydney and sharing our project with more people."
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