Heathside School – Why we got involved

By Mrs K Walker – Heathside School

Our science department at Heathside School  received a flyer from Surrey Satro  and we thought what a great event this would be for our STEM club to exhibit some of the great work they had produced  They have all been really creative over the past year with innovations such as lava lamps using jam jars, simple chemicals, electronics and arts and craft materials. Equally, the event would give them a chance to see where their interest in science could really take them.

We’ll be exhibiting a range of projects including kites and electronic ‘steady hand’ games and obviously the students will get the chance to look at all the other projects on display – and to pick up some goodies from the working world marquee.

It’s going to be so valuable for the students to see the types of successful careers on offer when studying STEM subjects.  Everyone at Surrey Satro has a passion for STEM which really shines through – the festival celebrates this collective enthusiasm and Heathside School is delighted to be involved again.

Faces of the festival – The softer side of engineering

 

How could you operate a wheelchair using only your chin? How can you press the pedals on a piano if you are paralysed below the waist? How can you climb into a car if you can’t bend your knees?

 These are just some of the problems that our engineers and volunteers get asked by the children and young people that we serve at MERU. We’re a charity that exists to improve life for children and young people with disabilities. We do this by designing and custom-making specialist equipment for use at home, at school or college, in hospital or at play. We are really keen to encourage young people to study engineering – and also to show that engineering isn’t just about nuts and bolts – but that it also has a softer, more human side.

We’re really looking forward to exhibiting some of the equipment that we design and manufacture for children with disabilities as well as telling you how you can get involved with our Design Club on Facebook. We hope that some of the schools will choose MERU as their charity to raise funds to help children and young people with disabilities. We’ll see you there!

Want to see some custard monsters?

Well its now only two months to the festival and we are hoping for a great turnout. We’ll be celebrating the skills and achievements of students and their links with local and national science and engineering companies. Last year we introduced the Working World Marquee in which 20 local companies exhibited hands on demonstrations of their innovations to hundreds of students. This included a bike powered disco, sky box technology and police forensic demonstrations. This year we are expanding this area and anyone can exhibit for FREE

The University of Surrey will be exploring the very strange world of custard monsters with non Newtonian fluids; the Institute of Civil Engineers will be project managing a team who will design and build a helipad using just paper and paper clips; Horizon Imaging will be showing off their invention of low altitude aerial photography using a radio controlled helicopter and Oculus will be showcasing their ovei Pod which allows you to create your own space in the real world. And that’s just a few – so why not join us! It’s a great opportunity to enthuse young people about engineering and it’s free!

Tickled pink!

It’s only three months now to the Surrey Satro Festival of Science and Engineering which will be opened by none other than Braniac’s own Jon Tickle at the Brooklands Museum in Weybridge.

The Festival has been running for ten years and aims to offer school teams the best possible opportunity to show the high quality of their science and engineering projects to guests from education, industry, commerce and professional bodies. The only criteria is that projects must have been devised and built during the current school year and come from Year 9 science clubs, GCSE, GNVQ, Diploma, AS, A2 or other areas of work.

It is free to enter, and there are a number of cash prizes open to all that enter including:

• Young Innovator’s Award – For a project demonstrating the effective
  application of student’s own original or lateral thinking (Key Stage 3/4).
• Team Achievement Award – For the project which best demonstrates
  progress made through teamwork as well as the commitment of time and
  skills.
• Personal Achievement Award – An award to the student that has
  demonstrated a high level of personal commitment and achievement.
• Young Entrepreneur of the Year – For a project combining a clear
  understanding of the market/user need with an inventive and workable
  solution.
• The CBSbutler STEM Teacher of the Year – To be awarded to the teacher showing the most commitment to Enhancement and Enrichment of students experience in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths.
• The CBSbutler Best Year 9 project – For the best Year 9 STEM Club project.

And that’s not all! There will also be a CBSbutler Working World Marquee which showcases local employers.  Students will be able to interact with the exhibitors and ask real scientists and engineers questions about the company, skills needed and personal experiences.

So whether you are an employer wanting to exhibit or a school wanting to take part – it’s all free – click here for more details.