Lismore Diocese Schools Excel at National STEM MAD Competition
Lismore Diocese students compete to design new and interesting products and services to make a difference for others and their environment. (9 November 2023)
A passion for making a positive difference in the world has led two Diocese of Lismore school STEM teams to win major awards in the 2023 STEM MAD National Competition.
STEM MAD is a National competition that encourages students in Catholic Schools around Australia to address real-world problems through the lens of Catholic stewardship, solidarity, common good, citizenship, humanity and wellbeing.
Throughout the year, teams from primary and secondary schools compete to design a product, service or innovation that makes a difference (MAD) to others or the environment.
‘It has been a valuable experience for these girls to step beyond their local community and see the possibilities of STEM,’ said St Joseph’s Primary School, Laurieton, Teacher Alfina Jackson.
In the Online Stem MAD 2023 awards, the St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour, team won the Best Integration of Technology - Secondary and came second place in the Wellbeing - Secondary and STEM is Future - Secondary awards for their innovative project, the ‘Calm Cap.’ A product that detects overstimulation, stress and other irregularities using brain wave frequencies and then, with an app, produces a suggestion that aims to counter these - subtle in public situations, portable and accessible.
St Ambrose Catholic Primary School, Pottsville, team received the STEM Judges Award - Primary and came runner-up in the Best Innovation in Health Award - Primary for their project, the ‘Allipen,’ a device that detects allergenic proteins within food.
Our three teams who won the Diocesean level competition from St John Paul College, St Ambrose Catholic Primary School and Joseph’s Primary School, Laurieton, travelled down to the Melbourne Showcase to represent our Diocese proudly. Demonstrating their spectacular projects to teachers and students from other Catholic Diocese schools around Australia. Touring Google’s Melbourne Office and participating in STEM activities with Lego, aviation challenge and Mindflight VR.
Congratulations to all the students and staff who participated this year. Year 8 student Mannat from St John Paul College provided the following advice to other students, ’I think that if anyone was ever contemplating doing STEM MAD, they should definitely go for it. This is an experience that I think I will remember for a lot of my life.’
You can watch the student presentations below.
- Year 6 students - Chase Mathewson, Jarrah O'Brien, Mia Collier and Evie Gray
St Ambrose Catholic Primary School, Pottsville
Firefly - Year 6 students - Husker, Jack, May & Ruby
St Ambrose Catholic Primary School, Pottsville
Allipen - Year 5 students - Leah Hayward, Tanvika Hari, Eadie Whatson and Daya Jones
St Joseph's Primary, Laurieton.
What's on my Mind? - Year 6 students - Gemma Cooper and Marielle Obeid
St Joseph's Primary School, Port Macquarie
Save our Koalas Resource Bag - Year 5 students - Charlotte Pascua, Adrienne Arce, Mayraih Spicer and Anable Shijo
St Joseph's Primary School, Port Macquarie
My Friend Stanley - Year 8 students - Anna Matthews and Mannat Dhariwal
St John Paul College, Coffs Harbour
Calm Cap