Keen2STEAM Challenge 2025 – Our Biggest Yet!
On Friday, March 21, CPS students from Years 3-6 took part in the fifth annual Churchlands Network Keen2STEAM Challenge. This year, the competition grew bigger than ever, expanding to 13 participating schools—our largest event to date! Students from Churchlands, Doubleview, City Beach, Floreat Park, Kapinara, Mount Claremont, Mount Hawthorn, Rosalie, Sorrento, Subiaco, Wembley, Wembley Downs, and Woodlands Primary Schools came together for a day of exciting STEM challenges.
Hosted once again at Churchlands Senior High School, the event was led by CPS teachers Mrs. Sara Morgan, Ms. Chia, and Mr. Johnson. The goal? To spark student engagement in STEM, introduce them to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, and tackle real-world problems—all while having a fantastic time!
A Day of STEM Exploration
The event began with an inspiring presentation from Dr. Bruce Webber, part of the CSIRO STEM Professionals in Schools Program. His talk, “Decoding the Universe – Exploring the unknown with nature’s hidden language” (the 2025 National Science Week theme), set the stage for the day’s hands-on challenges.
The Challenges
🔬 Science – Investigating ant trails and how they communicate to the colony where to locate food.
💻 Technology – Programming drones (Photon robots) to track bees after receiving ‘Bee Waggle Dance’ information in binary.
🏗 Engineering – Designing strong thread to hold up as much weight as possible, inspired by one of the strongest material on Earth – spider web.
📊 Mathematics – A range of difficult mathematical questions and problems themed in the communication of the universe!
In teams of four, students collaborated, problem-solved, and applied critical and creative thinking to develop innovative solutions.
Beyond the competition, students explored high school STEM workshops, including virtual reality and 3D printing, further expanding their hands-on experience in emerging technologies.
Celebrating Success
The day wrapped up with an exciting awards presentation, where CPS students shone once again!
🏆 Years 3 & 4 Winners:
🥇 Churchlands
🥈 Doubleview
🥉 Wembley
🏆 Years 5 & 6 Winners:
🥇 Floreat Park
🥈 Churchlands
🥉 Wembley
🏆 Overall Winners:
🥇 Churchlands
🥈 Floreat Park
🥉 Wembley
A huge congratulations to all CPS students for their enthusiasm, teamwork, and outstanding effort. Your respect, resilience, and engagement made us proud!
A special thank you to Mrs. Morgan and Ms. Chia for their exceptional leadership in designing and delivering the challenges. It was a huge effort by both teachers, who lead a very smooth, engaging and special experience for all students involved. We are also deeply grateful for our ongoing partnerships with CSIRO and Churchlands Senior High School, with special recognition to Dr. Bruce Webber and Dr. Grant Pusey for their invaluable expertise in sustainability and STEM.
We’re already looking ahead to next year, aiming to welcome 20 schools and further strengthen our partnerships with CSIRO and CSHS. Bring on Keen2STEAM 2026!
Mr. Johnson
