Mount View High School is once again celebrating success in the F1 in Schools Challenge, after earning fourth place at the national finals for the second consecutive year.
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F1 in Schools is the world’s largest schools science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) competition, with nine million students taking part across the globe.
Students work in teams to design and manufacture miniature Formula One cars, and are also judged on their specifications, engineering, portfolio, marketing and verbal presentation.
Mount View team Pentessellate comprised Year 10 students Ben Galvin (graphic designer), Harley Patterson (manufacturing engineer), Fei Fei Webster (design engineer), Tobias Astill-King (resource manager) and Billie Taylor (team manager).
The team qualified for the national finals in Launceston after winning the NSW championship in October.
It was Mount View High’s fourth year at the national finals, with Pentessellate’s predecessors Revolution Racing placing sixth in 2015 and 2016, and fourth in 2017.
Competing against many older and more experienced teams, Pentessellate brought home the school’s first award from the national finals – the prestigious sportsmanship award.
Supervising teacher Mark Bassett said the team did the school proud with their attitude towards the competition and the advice and support they offered other teams.
Mr Bassett and retired teacher Grahame Chamberlain were presented with honorary fellowships of the Re-engineering Australia Foundation (which coordinates the competition) for their ongoing commitment and success.
Pentessellate ranked second in the industry collaboration and marketing sections, and third for verbal presentation and computer-aided design.
The top two teams in the professional division (from Brighton Secondary College, South Australia and Tumut High School, NSW), along with the winners of the development class (Haileybury, Victoria) and a yet-to-be-announced wildcard entry will qualify for the world finals.
Pentessellate has set their sights on becoming national champions before their high school days are over.
The team will start working towards the 2018-19 competition soon, and plans to have their car design completed within the next couple of months in anticipation for the regional finals in September.
Time management was one of the key factors they will take away from their first nationals experience.
“We will make a schedule and stick to it,” Ben said.
Collaborating with businesses, using advanced programs and technology, real-life learning, sourcing sponsorship, public speaking and the atmosphere of the competition itself were among the reasons the Mount View students enjoy the F1 in Schools challenge.
Mr Bassett said two teams of Year 7 students and a number of individuals have expressed interest in representing Mount View High at the 2018/19 competition.
