Mount Terry Public School’s Fierce Future team. Photo: Supplied.
Mount Terry Public School may have just proved that the secret ingredient to innovation and sustainability is … crickets.
Their homemade chocolate brownies made with cricket flour not only wowed the judges, they helped crown the team Primary Champions in this year’s Game Changer Challenge.
Selected as one of 20 grand finalists and calling themselves Fierce Future, the students used design thinking to help solve this year’s wicked problem, ‘Ensure sustainable futures for all’.
Served up alongside their research, the “Critter Crunch” brownies were an important ingredient in the team’s pitch, which were made with ‘flour’ from crickets, which is high in protein, nutritious and can be used in place of wheat flour.
Mount Terry Year 6 team member Samuel Talevski said he was astounded when Fierce Future was named the primary winner.
“Words can’t explain it. It’s an unreal feeling,” Samuel said.
“I think it can only be understood by experiencing it yourself.”
Fellow team member Chase Newell said the team connected well during the grand final.
“What helped was learning how to work together better,” Chase said.
“Teamwork makes the dream work.”
Their win was no small feat, competing against 568 public school teams in round one.
Fierce Future then went up against 436 teams submitting a video in the Design Sprint stage, before judges selected the 20 teams for the three-day grand final at Parramatta this month.
Judging of the Critter Crunch brownies. Photo: Supplied.
Judges and teachers commented on how the standard of solutions, research and design thinking shown by all teams during the grand final was exceptional, with Mount Terry having every reason to stand proud.
The Game Changer Challenge is the Department of Education’s award-winning design thinking competition, allowing NSW student teams to discover solutions for a real-world problem by applying classroom learning.
NSW Department of Education Secretary Murat Dizdar said he was always impressed by the quality and variety of entries at the Game Changer Challenge.
“The Game Changer Challenge gives NSW public school students the opportunity to work with industry on real-world challenges in their communities and to stretch their critical-thinking skills,” Mr Dizdar said.
“Every year I am in awe of the quality of problem-solving I witness at the grand final and am excited to see how the Game Changer Challenge continues to inspire excellence in our schools.”
Teaching Learning and Student Wellbeing Deputy Secretary Martin Graham thanked teachers for their time and support of students as they participated in the design thinking competition.
“All of us here are grateful to your teachers and I know they’re going to enjoy a well-earned rest after this,” Mr Graham said.
“I also know it’s part of what they love to do, to see their students thrive and have these amazing ideas.
“After today, I do feel like the world will be a lot better when all of you are in charge.”
This year’s priority areas were planet, people and places, and the wicked problem was inspired by the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 12: ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
