Months of designing, testing, refining and problem-solving were put to the ultimate test as The Knox School’s STEM Racing team competed at the Victorian State Finals, taking on some of the state’s best student engineering teams.
Representing TKS were Year 9 students Saraya P, Ethan N, Forest P, Lincoln L, Lisa Z and Oscar S, who brought together engineering, creativity, teamwork and enterprise to take their car from an idea on screen to the racetrack.
STEM Racing may culminate in miniature gas-powered Formula 1 cars racing at speed, but the challenge extends well beyond the track. Teams are judged across the complete engineering and business process behind their car, requiring students to understand not just what they created, but the thinking behind every decision.
Using Fusion 360, the TKS team designed and 3D modelled their car before applying Computer-Aided Manufacturing (CAM) to bring the design to life. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) allowed them to test and refine its aerodynamics before a single part was made.
Then came the challenge of putting that knowledge into words. In front of the judges, students explained their design decisions and demonstrated their understanding of the engineering process behind their car.
Their work extended into the business side of STEM Racing too, with the team developing and presenting a marketing strategy that explored team identity, sponsor engagement and promotion. It was a chance to experience how engineering, communication, creativity and enterprise come together in the real world.
And then, of course, it was time to race.
On the track, the TKS car proved fiercely competitive, coming agonisingly close to claiming the award for the fastest average time in the Grand Prix. The result reflected the precision, testing and refinement that had gone into the car throughout the project.
Just as importantly, Saraya, Ethan, Forest, Lincoln, Lisa and Oscar represented TKS with respect throughout the competition, supporting other teams and demonstrating our school values both on and off the track.
STEM Racing is learning in motion. Ideas are tested, designs reconsidered, problems solved and knowledge put into practice. It is exactly the kind of experience that asks students to be curious, collaborate, take calculated risks and keep looking for a better solution.
Congratulations to Saraya, Ethan, Forest, Lincoln, Lisa, and Oscar on an outstanding State Finals campaign, and a huge thank you to our team sponsors, Global Connection Systems, Kartfx, and ABEC357, for their support.
We are incredibly proud of what our students achieved and can’t wait to see where their engineering takes them next.
