Youth Projects

Technology Tournaments

 

Every year we organise a senior school  challenge known as the Technology Tournament.  Rotary Technology Tournaments are a challenging and enjoyable way for young people to enrich their STEM learning (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths).  This year Downham Market Academy again very kindly offered the facilities and as well as the hosts, Terrington St Clement High School, Iceni Academy (Methwold) and Vista Acadmey from Littleport entered teams.  On 14th February 14 teams assembled to be met by a daunting technical challenge (we can't reveal what it was because other schools in the UK will also be faced with it over the coming months!).  The judges were most impressed and just about every team produced a functioning model to answer the challenge.  Foundation winners were a team from Downham Market Academy and the runners-up were a team from Iceni Academy.  Intermediate level winners were a team from Vista Academy (Littleport) and runners up were from Terrington St Clements High School, and the latter took the honours as best overall.

This competition for young people has been accredited by the British Science Association to the CREST Discovery  Awards.

The CREST Awards scheme is Britain’s largest and most widely recognised national award scheme for project work in the STEM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths). It is co-ordinated by the British Science Association, a charity which advances understanding, accessibility and accountability of the sciences and engineering.

Ours is one of the 100 or more RIBI Technology Tournaments held annually.  They are a day out of school for teams of four students with an interest in engineering, design, technology and science, to design and build a solution to an unseen technical task within a specific time frame. The teams need to have good communication skills, be well organised, and able to show the stages of development of their task solution in a design portfolio. Each team’s solution as a working model is competitively tested and assessed by a team of judges. Recognition is given to the winning teams in each of three age categories.

By taking part in our Technology Tournament students are already demonstrating many of the skills they need to obtain the CREST Discovery Award. These include working systematically, solving problems creatively and relating their project to a real world context. The CREST Discovery Award requires 10-14 year olds to complete at least five hours work on a project in one day.

Junior Technology Tournaments

Aimed at years 5 & 6, special technology challenges have been designed for junior schools.  So far we have held junior tournaments at All Saints Academy, Stoke Ferry,  Denver Voluntary Controlled Primary School, Southery Academy, Upwell Academy, and St Martin's Church of England Primary School in Shouldham.  We are on our second year of the junior tournaments and, as with the senior tournaments, these are proving extremely popular with the teachers and pupils at the schools.   There are three more junior technology tournaments at Denver, Feltwell and Stoke Ferry schools during the first few months of 2024.

 The RYLA (Rotary Youth Leacership Award) programme is strongly supported by our Club. Each year we try to recruit at least two candidates to the week-long event at Grafham Water..... Click on the RYLA logo to take you through to their website with lots of information including videos shot at one of the RYLA events.

What is it?

A Personal development 8 day seminar (7 nights) involving Water Sports, Practical Initiative tests, Development of Interpersonal Skills, Camping, Map reading, Problem solving, Computer based business game, Lectures and presentations.

VENUE: Grafham Water Centre, Near Huntingdon

Date: 2nd to 9th June 2025

WHO IS IT FOR?   Young Adults 18-26

Please email us with the subject RYLA if you would like more information or visit ryla.co.uk

The course costs £825 per candidate and the Rotary Club of Downham Market will consider funding support.  Companies are invited to apply for places on the course.  Please email: downhammarketrotary@hotmail.co.uk

This course changes lives!  Every one of the candidates who have attended this come away with confidence and leadership skills that wil benefit not only themselves but also their employers. A course like this, purchased on the commercial market, would cost, at the minimum, £2000 per candidate.

 Visit www.ryla.co.uk to read more.

Other Rotary youth oriented projects are:

RotaKids - a club for 7 to 12 year olds

Interact - for 12 to 18 year olds

Rotaract for ages 18 to 30+

Rotary Youth Exchange - overseas exchanges for ages 14 -22

Young Restaurant Server Competition for age 16+

Young Citizen Awards - age up to 25

Young Musician - age up to 17

Young Chef Competition - 11 - 17 years

Youth Speaks - 11 -17 years

Young Artist.  Junior intermediate and senior age groups

Young Photographer. Age groups as for Young Artist

Young Writer - same age groups

Young Environmentalist

Young Film Maker

If you would like information on any of the above please email us at downhammarketrotary@hotmail.co.uk