During Term 2 Damascus College one again had the pleasure and privilege of participating in the Students in STEM program at the Ballarat Tech School.

The Term 2 Girls in STEM and Boys in STEM programs have been highly successful with 120 students from 15 local and regional schools coming together to share 2 days of space-themed STEM challenges, including an optional evening visit to the Ballarat Observatory.

Day 1 consisted of students working through problem-solving challenges, Sphero BOLT programming, and spectroscopy in the science lab. Students also took up the opportunity in the afternoon to visit the Ballarat Observatory and meet with a visiting expert from the Victorian Space Science Education Centre to get hands-on with telescopes and learn about study and career pathways in astronomy and astrophysics.

Day 2 consisted of students immersing themselves in a thematic alien invasion of Ballarat experience where they used their mathematical and problem-solving skills to escape the aliens landing in the Federation University SMB campus. This experience involved exploring Federation University’s Technology Park facilities, applying mapping and estimation skills, programming small droids, and solving a series of math problems. The students' willingness to embrace the opportunity to have fun while using mathematics is a testament to the positive approach each brings to their program and the growth they take away.

Based on their outstanding efforts across these two days, three of our students, Logan Pepplinkhouse, Madison Buttigieg, and Ruby Lethlean, also received a “Ticket to Mars”. This is a full-day scenario-based program run by the Victorian Space Science Education Centre. Congratulations, and well done.

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