Seventeen students from schools around the UK have been named as winners in the Alu D&T Challenge, a national competition for 11 to 14 year olds organised by the aluminium industry to inspire young designers to create sustainable products using aluminium.
The national schools competition, linked to the Design and Technology curriculum, helps teach pupils about the material properties and sustainability potential of aluminium by challenging them to design a sustainable product for the future using aluminium. The design challenges are based on real-life briefs faced by designers, engineers and manufacturers in three categories – transport, building and packaging. They form part of a wider package of cross-curricular teaching resources which have been developed by the aluminium industry to support teachers of pupils aged 7 to 14.
The winning individual and team in each of the three design challenges won a 3D printer for their school, plus £100 in vouchers for the pupils. Prizes were also awarded to runners up and finalists in each category. The panel of judges agreed the 2016/17 winners were:
Vehicle of the future category:
- Winner – individual: Alex Brown (Year 8) Oakham School, Leics.
- Winner – team: Urmston Grammar School
- Runner Up: Thomas Lemon, St. John’s School, Northwood.
Garden building for a creative homeworker category:
- Winner – individual: Amy Riddlesdell, Oakham School
- Winner –team: Urmston Grammar School
- Runner up: Tobias Raphael, Crosfields School
Innovative new packaging solution category:
- Winner – individual: Ethan Thorne, St. Ives School
- Winner – team: Ysgol Glan-y-Mor
- Runner up: Nick Wood, St Ives School