Challenges are set for the Young Innovators
Competition to inspire the next generation
TEACHERS from across the area attended an event marking the official launch of the 3M Young Innovators Challenge 2019 in Loughborough.
The annual competition – run by science-based technology company 3M and supported by the Loughborough Echo – aims to inspire the next generation of original thinkers.
It involves six practical and creative challenges for primary and secondary school pupils, each aligned to a different area of the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) curriculum.
Around 40 teachers, together with six judges from various organisations, attended the 2019 launch event at 3M’s Charnwood Campus offices in Loughborough last week.
They heard how this year’s competition will include two exciting new categories – the Mighty Monument Challenge and the Fragile Freight Challenge – as
well as four that have proved highly popular in previous years – the Cargo Carrier Challenge, the Slo-Mo Marble Challenge, the VizTech Challenge and the Science Detectives Challenge.
Rosalind Smith, reputation communications manager at 3M’s Charnwood Campus site, said: “We were delighted to see representatives from several new schools at our launch event, together with many familiar faces.
“This ongoing participation
demonstrates how highly teachers value the competition as a way of developing their students’ STEM learning, communication, teamworking and other skills.”
She added: “Entries close on March 22, so there is plenty of time for teams and individuals to get involved.
“We look forward to seeing what entrants will come up with, particularly for our two new challenges, which garnered significant interest at the launch.”
The 3M Young Innovators Challenge has been running in Loughborough every year since 2013.
Alongside the Echo, it is being supported this year by the Loughborough Learning Alliance (LLA), the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) College Loughborough and Practical Action Schools, an educational charity.
The competition is open to all Leicestershire and South Nottinghamshire authority schools, academies and private schools, as well as home-educated children, from within the Echo’s circulation area or who are LLA members.
In each category, the winning entry’s school will receive equipment worth £750, together with individual prizes for the students. 3M will also pay to enter all participants into the British Science Association’s CREST Award scheme, giving them a chance to gain a nationally recognised accreditation for their work towards the competition.
For more details, or to enter, visit www.3M.co.uk/younginnovators