After starting as an E & E choice during Term 2, a Breens EPRO 8 team made it through to the GRAND FINAL.

The team named the "Unqualified Engineers" first represented Breens at the inter school competition finishing 3rd. They then progressed onto the semi finals and came in 2nd which qualified them for the Grand Final held at Holmes Solutions in Hornby.

The team consisted of Jerry Zhao, Stephane Baudet, Arthur Stanley and Sam Martin as well as Josh Dagger who stepped in to help at the finals. The Grand Final saw a whole new set of challenges based around "apples" and sorting, weighing and sizing them all using the EPRO 8  kits and the electronic components.

The team competed so well on the night and they had turns taking vying for a place in the top  3 for the whole night. Unfortunately a late run from Bluestone Intermediate  School saw the Unqualified Engineers pipped at the post and they finished 4th just 10 points away from a podium placing.

A huge congratulations to the team and thanks to all the students who took part in the EPRO 8 as an E & E option this year.  Thanks also to the whānau who have supported the students along the way.  And a special mention to Karina Leppick and Chris Martin who helped with the coaching and judging along the way.  We hope to do it all again next year!!!

What is EPRO 8?

EPRO8 8 is an engineering challenge based on the EPRO 8 kit.  The kit consists of metal rods and plastic joiners held together by plastic connectors. Along with this the kit has pulleys and gears as well as wheels and nuts and bolts. This kit forms the structure for all the wonderful engineering challenges set out by the organisers.

Teams have 3 hours to complete challenges and get points awarded for the steps completed along the way as well as bonus points for completing every single single aspect of a challenge.

Challenges have ranged from making concrete trucks, vending machines, skill testers, clocks and all sorts of machines!  It is a team based event and is open to students from Year 5 through to Year 13.