The WA Education Minister’s Innovation Challenge 2025 is officially underway with year 8 students from 41 schools participating.
Over a six-week period, school teams will work with an industry mentor to identify a local issue or problem they care about and apply design thinking processes to develop innovative solutions.
“I am so pleased to officially launch the Innovation Challenge for 2025,” said Education Minister, Sabine Winton (pictured).
“It is fantastic this program is now in its fourth year, continuing to inspire young minds across WA.
“Schools nominated to participate in June, and I know many students have been looking forward to getting started on developing innovative solutions to issues in their communities that matter to them.
“Young people are critical and creative thinkers who can bring fresh ideas and perspectives to many challenges.
“I look forward to hearing about the inspiring and innovative solutions they develop throughout the challenge later this year.”
The Challenge is in its fourth year and provides an opportunity for year 8 public school students across the State to engage in entrepreneurial education.
Bloom Centre for Youth Innovation, a youth-led, not-for-profit organisation that provides innovation programs to young people, will deliver the Challenge online this year.
The Challenge culminates in an online exhibition on 3 December, which will announce the five top-ranked teams who will share in a $35,000 cash prize.
In previous years, winning projects have included a mobile-red light filter that helps turtle watchers observe sea turtles at night without disturbing them, developed by students at Christmas Island District High School, and an app created by Bob Hawke College students that showed the live and predicted status of a local car park.
Last year’s winners from Halls Head College designed a ‘Freedom Cart’, which would allow unhoused persons to have a house on wheels.
For more information on the Minister’s Innovation Challenge, visit www.education.wa.edu.au/ministers-innovation-challenge.
