Students challenged to shape our world

TEENAGER Joseph Goh knows Toowoomba’s CBD has a congestion problem, and it might be the catalyst for a new concept.

The Toowoomba Anglican College and Preparatory School student is one of hundreds around the city who will take part in the inaugural Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards.

The competition, which was launched yesterday, will challenge Year 10 to 12 students to come up with new inventions, concepts, innovations and ideas that could shape the world around them.

Ideas could revolve around the emerging world of robotics, some of which were on show at the launch on TAFE’s Toowoomba campus.

Joseph, who said he was still tossing up whether to enter the awards, said he would love to come up with a

concept to fix Toowoomba’s congestion issues.

“One of the problems here

in Toowoomba is the traffic problem, often in the city centre,” he said.

“It’s a difficult problem to solve because there is not much space there.”

The awards are a partnership between Telstra, the Toowoomba Regional Council, TAFE Queensland and the University of Southern Queensland.

Telstra’s community engagement manager Duncan Armstrong said teams that made the final cut would receive mentoring before pitching to a panel of judges.

“Two years ago on the Gold Coast, the Southport High School came up with a flying car concept and I think they’ve gone on with it thanks to an investor who was in the audience,” he said.

Mayor Paul Antonio said the competition was an endorsement of Toowoomba’s position as a regional powerhouse.

To enter, email mayors techawards@tr.qld.gov.au

PHOTOS: TOM GILLESPIE RO-BAT: Toowoomba Anglican College students (from left) Maarten Dekeyser, Joseph Goh and Luca Donald with a Mecano robot dressed as Batman at the launch of the Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards.

Vale View State School’s Coby Smith and Bridget Pohlman with their robot at the launch of the Mayor’s Telstra Technology Awards.