Earlier this year, Monash University invited 212 female Year 10 students (53 teams from 45 schools) to attend a series of one-day workshops to learn about connected technology and the 'Internet of Things', develop hands-on skills in IT coding using the micro:bit device and discover how to develop and pitch an entrepreneurial idea. McKinnon sent two teams.The girls involved were:
Team 1 - Bridget Chapman, Karleen Han, Alisha Gollen and Michelle Gu
Team 2 - Julia Giantos, Catherine Braniska, Jaime Tyzack and Grace James
Their teacher mentors were Ms Sweeney and Ms Nicholls.
At the conclusion of the Stage 1 workshops, a judging panel from the Monash IT Department and international organisations such as Hacker Exchange, selected 12 teams to attend a bespoke entrepreneurial workshop, designed to instil an entrepreneurial mindset and train participants how to turn their concepts into an economically sustainable product. Impressively, both McKinnon teams were selected to attend the final workshop.
In the final stage, two successful teams were selected to win an immersive entrepreneurial experience to San Francisco and Silicon Valley, California, USA - the global centre of technological innovation!
With a flawless presentation,
McKinnon Team 1 was selected as one of the winning teams. The girls will be travelling, with their Monash mentors, to the USA in January. Congratulations to all of the girls involved and their mentors. This is truly a marvellous achievement.