On Wednesday, April 1st, students from Years 3-6 gathered for the sixth annual Churchlands Network Keen2STEAM Challenge. This year, the competition again hosted 11 primary school from the Churchlands Network and beyond. Churchlands Senior High School set the backdrop for a high-energy day of problem-solving centered around the 2026 theme “Seeds of Knowledge”, designed to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, challenging students to think like the environmental engineers of tomorrow.
Once again we were honoured to have Dr. Bruce Webber from Bush Heritage Australia. Dr Bruce’s captivating presentation explored how nature stores and shares information—from the genetic “data” inside a dormant seed to the “Wood Wide Web” of underground fungal networks. This set the perfect stage for our hands-on rotations.
This year’s challenges included a combined Engineering and Technology ‘mega challenge’, with students tasked with designing and building a mechanical seed dispersers. The catch? It had to be pulled by a robot and distribute native seeds evenly across a grid while avoiding “protected” areas. Students had to balance weight, friction, and material use—with a 10-point “Sustainability Penalty” for any wasteful construction! Using Maqueen Microbit Robots, students stepped into the shoes of modern farmers. They performed “Pre-Flight Checks” on their digital systems before writing complex algorithms in MakeCode. The goal was to program their “robotic tractors” to pull their engineered dispersers in perfectly straight rows, ensuring every “seed” was planted with precision.
Science was an extremely popular activitiy once again with our students investigating “Poo-Powered Hitchhikers”! In a messy and fun investigation into symbiotic relationships, students explored seed dispersal via animal gut—or “poo delivery.” By releasing poppy seeds from different heights within a mixture, teams mapped dispersal patterns and measured how height affects a plant’s ability to spread its offspring across an ecosystem.
Finally our Nature by Numb3rs – Maths Challenge posed students as the “Ecosystem Protection Team,” where they analysed data sets related to migration pathways, germination signals, and nutrient exchange. They used their mathematical skills to solve problems themed around the communication systems that allow our natural world to thrive and adapt.
2026 Winners
The competition was incredibly tight this year, with every team demonstrating impressive resilience and creative thinking. While our CPS teams put in a stellar effort and showed fantastic sportsmanship, the leaderboard saw some new faces at the top! A huge congratulations to Woodlands Primary School, our 2026 Overall Champions! Their innovative approach to the engineering challenge and precise coding in the Digital Tech rotation earned them the top spot in a field of 20 schools.
A massive thank you to Mrs. Morgan. Mrs Reid and Ms. Chia for their months of preparation in designing these intricate challenges. We also extend our gratitude to Dr. Bruce Webber and Dr. Grant Pusey and Churchlands Senior High School for their continued partnership, support and expertise.
Also a huge thank you to Scitech for supporting our winning teams with some great vouchers to continue their STEM learning journeys.
As we wrap up our biggest event yet, we are inspired by the ingenuity of our students. We are already planning for 2027—continuing to grow our network and empower the next generation of STEAM leaders!
Luke Johnson
Deputy Principal
