Happy Valley State School students are a finalist in a state-wide robotics challenge and is looking for community support to get them there this weekend.
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A group of 10 students who competed in their First Lego League on November 16 has made the competition finals after winning two awards and placing overall seventh in the competition.
Head of curriculum at STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) Codie Iddles said the students participated in a number of robotic challenges.
"These included a teamwork challenge, a project challenge and coding robotics challenge," Ms Iddles said.
"In the project challenge, the students received the highest mark possible, for their upgrades of Selwyn Park, Mount Isa.
"The students are intending to propose their project to Council to promote a change in their community."
Due to their success the students qualified for state finals where they will compete in a similar competition, against different teams.
"This is an invite-only competition and the group will compete against 44 of the best teams in Queensland," Ms Iddles said.
"It is amazing to have a Mount Isa team in this competition. We are so proud of the hard work and dedication that our kids have put in and they truly have done an incredible job with their project and the coding and robotics as well.
"I think it really puts Mount Isa on the map in the world of STEM."
The students have been preparing for these competitions all year, conducting the extra curricular study in their own time.
"The students have been working on their projects during an out of school hours club, which Mr Andrew Iddles and I run on a Wednesday afternoon," Ms Iddles said.
For the students to go away this weekend, the school is trying to ease financial strain on families by seeking donations.
"It's going to cost $1400 per student," Ms Iddles said.
"The parents have said that they are willing to pay for their kids to go but because of the last minute entry into the finals, we want to try and ease some of the financial pressure on these families.
"Anyone who would like to make a donation can ring the school to record the cost and then deliver a donation to Helloworld to go towards the trip."
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