24th October 2023
Students set to change the world in Game Changer Challenge
Students from three North Coast public schools are ready to compete in the final stage of the award-winning Game Changer Challenge in Parramatta from 7-9 November 2023.
Selected as one of 24 grand finalists, The Change Gamers from Alstonville Public School will use design thinking methodology to help solve a real-world wicked problem in the Department of Education’s Game Changer Challenge.
This year students have been asked to invent or innovate something that will change our world and leave a lasting impact.
The Change Gamers are working with bamboo to develop an affordable housing option for low-income areas.
Meanwhile The Perky Palm Trees from Bangalow Public School have come up with a Haulable Home Hub concept, which is a community of temporary houses with support resources for people in need, and the appropriately-named Radical Repellers from Leeville Public School are working on mosquito repellent clothing.
“The Game Changer Challenge harnesses the power of young minds to solve the real-world problems of today and those we will face in the future,” Secretary Murat Dizdar said.
“Over the past six years we’ve seen students of all ages take what they have learned in the classroom and transform their ideas into innovative and practical solutions.”
The 2023 Game Changer Challenge wicked problem was inspired by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 9 to build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialisation and foster innovation.
A record number of submissions were received this year, with almost 400 teams entering.
Of these, 120 teams participated across eight virtual semifinals, with the 24 highest-scoring teams progressing to the three-day grand final event to be held at the department’s Parramatta office.
On 9 November teams will present their solutions and prototypes at the Game Changer Challenge Ideas Expo, where judges and industry partners will wander around the expo area, interacting with students, learning about their ideas and sharing feedback.
A virtual expo will be published on the Game Changer Challenge website, allowing visitors to virtually walk through the Ideas Expo and view team ideas and prototypes.
Winners will then be announced by Secretary Murat Dizdar at 12.30pm.
The 2023 Game Changer Challenge is supported by our partners: Winc., Rothfield, ABC Education, Adobe, AM Visuals, Amazon Web Services, ARUP, Become Education, Canva, Education Perfect, Engineering Ingenuity, EY, Food Ladder, HP, Macquarie, Makedo, Mott MacDonald, Powerhouse, Terracycle, Think Different Anyday, TOMRA Cleanaway, The University of NSW, Uprising Designers, Woolworths, Young Change Agents.
Visit the Game Changer Challenge website for more information - https://education.nsw.gov.au/public-schools/game-changer-challenge
MEDIA CONTACT: Kristi Pritchard-Owens 0474 921 202 kristi.pritchardowens@det.nsw.edu.au
