Geothermal School Science Competition 2023 Winners
Students from Taupō district, Waipāhīhī School, win Geothermal Science Competition for NZ Geothermal Week 2023
Geothermal School Science Competition
The primary school science competition were part of the NZ Geothermal Week 2023, which was co-hosted by New Zealand Geothermal Association and Amplify in late July. The competition attracted 16 entries from primary and intermediate schools throughout the Taupō district, with over 70 ākonga (students), ranging from Year 3 to Year 8.
This year’s competition theme Geothermal Systems: Reservoirs and Relationships challenged teams to “Explain how natural geothermal features are inter-connected with human uses of geothermal resources, including electricity generation.”
The judging panel was made up of experts from GNS Science’s Wairakei Research Centre, a world-class geothermal research group and this year's competition sponsor, and Amplify, the economic development agency for the Taupō district.
The judges were very impressed with the knowledge and insight of the participants, and their creative use of materials to present their understanding, including 3D models complete with QR code which took you to an interview of the group that described what they had made, cartoon art work illustrating how geothermal energy was source in the earth and reached the surface and the ways it could be used, to a 3D virtual minecraft world of a geothermal system and power plant.
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Final results
Winners:
1st Place: Geothermal Geniuses (Waipahihi School, Year 5)
2nd Place: Tirohanga Tuis (Tirohanga School, Years 3-7)
3rd Place: Geothermal Minecraft (Wairakei Primary School, Years 5 & 6)
Highly Commended:
Dannah, Storm & Grace (Marotiri School, Year 7)
Lana (Marotiri School, Year 8)
Steamers (Taupo Intermediate School, Years 7 & 8)
Ducky Squad (Wairakei School Years 5 & 6)
Team Steam (Waipahihi School, Years 5 & 6)
Prizes:
Schools with winning or highly commended teams receive a year’s subscription to House of Science fortnightly science resource kits, worth over $1,000. The kits includes at least five hands-on experiments and cater for Year 0-8 students.
Each member of the winning team also wins a family pass to Orakei Korako, a stunning geothermal wonderland. Second and third placing team members will also receive a geothermal-action themed prizes, and highly commended teams will receive NZ Geothermal Week tote bags.
The winning and highly commended teams were also invited to meet the scientists at GNS Science’s Wairakei Research Centre over morning tea to present their projects and receive their certificates. Over 40 students, parents, and teachers visited the GNS site and toured the analytical and geological labs.
