Perfect Storm team reign supreme

Going under the team name The Perfect Storm, the S2 youngsters – Katie Barclay, Jack Dickson, Aaron Mulholl, Fraser Nicolson, Euan Tulloch and Kirstin Young, created a design for a storm proof and sustainable school which impressed science, technology, engineering and mathematics judges at the regional finals earlier in the year and propelled them into the Scottish final last week.

The youngsters produced an informative booklet, gave a presentation and answered questions on their design at the Scottish Parliament last Friday and came out on top over the seven other national finalists.

Helping them scale these heights were Grangemouth High teachers Dr Matheson and Miss Elliott, chartered engineer Angus McKimmon and Syngenta’s Thomas Bennie.

Grangemouth has won the regional finals of the Go4SET competition three times in the last five years, but this is the first time the school has claimed the national title. Although nervous on the day, the team overcame that and agreed they all wanted to be involved in something like this again.

Head teacher Paul Dunn said: “The team were excellent and, although nervous, were supremely confident because the were so well prepared and committed to the project 100 per cent.

“The feedback we had on the day was excellent and they did the school proud.”

Perfect Storm will now turn into mentors themselves to give help and advice to a group of S1 pupils involved in a STEM project to design an education centre at the Helix.