Young designers show their talent
Young Engineer, Designer and Technologist of the Year
This year’s competition (the 12th since its inception) organised by the Hexham Rotary Club in conjunction with Northumberland County Council, Northumbria University and the Newcastle Discovery Museum took place at the Discovery Museum on 7 July. Six schools (Coquet High School, Church of England Academy Ashington, Duchess’s High School Alnwick, King Edward VI High School Morpeth, Prudhoe High School, Queen Elizabeth High School Hexham) submitted 25 entries. There would have been more schools and more entries had examination boards returned projects in due time. Robert Hull, Chairman of the Rotary Club Vocational Committee and coordinator of the organising committee regretted that four schools had had to withdraw at the last minute
Prizes were presented by Linda Conlan, Chief Executive of the Centre for Life in Newcastle who afterwards congratulated all the entrants on the high quality of their projects and spoke about the importance of engineering, design and technology for the North East. Dr Becky Strachan, Associate Dean at Northumbria University, which had part funded the competition, also emphasised the role innovation had to play in the economy of the region.
Christine Moorcroft, President of the Rotary Club of Hexham, speaking afterwards said that the Hexham Rotary Club was delighted and privileged to be able to continue to organise the competition. This year had seen a very high quality of projects and in talking with students during the course of the day she had been impressed and inspired by their work
The prize winners in the respective categories were:
Post 16 (A-level) Projects
1st Ciaran McGuire, Duchess’s High School, Alnwick (Bram Stoker’s Dracula Textiles)
2nd Lewis Mcenaney, Church of England Academy, Ashington (Educational Interactive Buggy)
3rd Amy Wood, King Edward VI High School, Morpeth (Winter fashion garments)
Pre 16 (GCSE) Projects
1st Jonathan Foster, King Edward VI High School, Morpeth (Metronome)
2nd Laura Mackenzie, Duchess’s High School, Alnwick (Made in Britain Textiles)
3rd Grace Myles, Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham (Product for themed eating place)
School (Prizes awarded for group of entries)
1st Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham
2nd Duchess’s High School, Alnwick
Rotary Challenge Shield for Enterprise and Innovation
Michael Young, Coquet High School (Garden Seat)
Discovery Museum Associates Award (Chosen by participants)
Matthew Armit, Queen Elizabeth High School, Hexham (Contemporary Lighting Design)
To view details of the 2009 Awards please click on the link:
