ONE hundred and twenty primary school learners in the Upper Highway area showed that the future is engineering during the F1 MAHLE in Schools competition that was hosted at Hillcrest Primary School on Thursday and Friday, September 1–2.

The two-day series, MAHLE F1 in Schools Engineering Challenge, is a competition that gives learners a chance to experience STEM-based careers through a project management, design-and-build challenge.

ALSO READ: Palmiet Catchment Schools event encourages learners to take up citizen science

The challenge is a six-month-long project during which the learners design a miniature-scale F1 race car, which they will build, brand and market before a final race event.
According to MAHLE, the objective was to inspire learners to learn about aerodynamics, design, manufacture, branding and graphics, sponsorship, marketing, leadership and teamwork and apply them in a practical, imaginative and competitive way.
“Each team has at least two girl learners – another feature of the competition. Some schools are still setting up their technology departments and have decided to enter. Teachers are giving the learners with no experience a great learning opportunity and showing us that they are up to the challenge,” stated the company.

Speaking to the Highway Mail during the race day, communications manager Joe van Heederden said they are blown away by what the learners have managed to build in the last six months.
“The first thing I asked them was what they had learned. It was so great to hear them say design manufacture, marketing, and designing. These are the things we had intended when we came up with the initiative, and that for me is a big tick,” she said.

ALSO READ: Hillcrest High raises funds to renovate schools in need

The team that took home a R10 000 cheque with trophies, medals and automotive gear, tech gear tog bags, headphones and stationery was SMG Motorsport from Atholl Heights Primary in Westville.

Speaking to the Highway Mail, the team said they were ecstatic to be crowned the champions of the competition. The group said they have learnt meaningful teamwork lessons. “We are really happy to be rewarded for the work we have all done in equal measures. Every one of us contributed, and the work came out amazing,” said the team.
The runner-up was Resies Racers from Remount Primary, and coming third was Infinite Velocity from Berea West.