Our Orbispace winning team meets the Duchess of York!

Earlier this year seven Year 8 students from the College were one of two teams who won first place in The Orbispace Initiative Pitch for the Planet Competition. On Friday 8 November these students were awarded the unique opportunity to have a private high tea with the patron of the program The Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson.

These students were invited to an intimate high tea, enabling them to have one on one discussions with The Duchess of York as a celebration of their achievement and success. Ella Rentzepis did a wonderful job of presenting their innovation and ideas to The Duchess. All Students were given the opportunity to ask questions and discuss their ideas about the future of our planet and sustainability. The Duchess of York, is the founding ambassador for the Youth Impact Council with a strong passion for amplifying the voices of Generation Z, with a genuine interest in the ideas and opinions of the young women who attended the event.

The Orbispace Initiative is a program with the mission to inspire the next generation of Australian female innovators by equipping them with the skills and mindsets needed to succeed in a rapidly changing physical and digital landscape. The program focuses on technical STEM skills and entrepreneurship. The winning team, consisted of Maria Katsaros, Ella Rentzepis, Isabella Saoud, Jacinta Shori, Sophie Steel, Elena Vidanovski and Eden Vonhoff, the founders of ‘WattWay’ focusing on the problem of inefficient and inaccessible charging processes associated with electric vehicles. Their solution is wireless charging stations situated across parking spots, garages and red lights.

It was an inspirational day for all involved. The students represented the College with grace and enthusiasm. A huge congratulations to these students for making such an impact with their ideas and innovations.

Kaitlyn McDougall
Newman Teacher in Charge