During the first weekend of term 4, a group of students, accompanied by Ms Napier flew over to Wellington to compete in the 6th International Junior Young Physicists’ Competition. 

This was the first time in several years that Riccarton High School participated in the competition, with the students being awarded 9th place overall and just missing out on receiving a bronze medal. 

The team was given five challenging open ended Physics questions to research and present to a panel of judges and an opposition team. Good practical skills to gain the data, presentation skills to present solutions, and then debating skills to argue the Physics, were vital in order for a team to do well.

The competition was a great experience as the team was able to meet like-minded students and see the views that others had of the questions. The months of preparation prior to the tournament led up to a week of intense competition. Many friends were made during the trip, and a lot of Physics was discussed. 

I can no longer look at paper cups, brushes, or M&Ms without thinking about the Physics involved, but it’s a small sacrifice for the skills I’ve learned. I look forward to seeing how Riccarton High does next year in the competition.

JYPT Team: Matthew Woermann, Leo Shin, Andrew Fordyce, Samuel Gamble.