During week 6, Toroa students had a blast participating in the EPRO8 challenge. This year all year 7 and 8 students were given the opportunity to take part.

Students were divided into groups to tackle various science, engineering, and problem-solving tasks. This year's task had them creating an ‘Earthquake Test Platform’. Their platform needed to replicate an earthquake to test the difference between the strength of a “regular” building and one that had been reinforced with bracing. This was a great way for them to connect to our inquiry learning this term about how natural events can impact and shape our land.

They were provided with a box of essential equipment, including rods, joiners, wheels, pulleys, axles, nuts, and bolts. Within a time frame of 1.5 hours, each group worked diligently to complete as many parts of the challenge as possible, aiming to earn points for their respective teams.

The students were then assessed based on their MANA skills, which were crucial for their team's overall success. These skills encompassed math and design thinking, problem-solving abilities, collaboration with peers, sharing ideas, and resilience.

Following on from this event, students will be chosen to form the school's EPRO8 teams. These teams will be invited to compete in the upcoming within-school competition on Monday.