The Junior Engineer for Britain K'NEX Challenge 2009 is based on the BLOODHOUNDSSC Land Speed Record Car. Schools around the UK with KS2 pupils (age 8 to 10) were invited to take part in the challenge. This challenge has been an ideal opportunity for primary age group students to take part in a national competition and have a visit from a STEM Ambassador to run the event in the school.

This year, one of the challenges was to build a Land Speed Record Car out of K'NEX that would travel straight and true down a slope and across a school hall floor. The distance the car travelled was measured as an efficiency rating. The pupils work in pairs and were marked on their presentation, communication,  teamwork and problem solving skills.

Bedfordshire and Luton Education Business Partnership (EBP), for example, visited 50 primary schools using EBP staff and supported by five STEM Ambassadors using a car launcher of our own design to reinforce the BLOODHOUNDSSC message with the pupils. Each school was given a presentation about BLOODHOUNDSSC, met a STEM professional and took part in the two hour challenge. The winning team from each school went forward to a regional final and had a great time tackling a different BLOODHOUND challenge.

Here is a picture of the winning team from Foxdell Junior School in Luton who had one of the best scores in the county.

Well done to all the schools that entered and to the teachers and STEM Ambassadors.

Gerry Heather.