The Conrad Challenge is an annual, innovation and entrepreneurship competition that encourages young adults to participate in designing the future. Teams of 2-5 students, aged 13-18, from around the world create products and/or services to address some of the most pressing global and local challenges. They become entrepreneurial problem-solvers, addressing challenging social, scientific and societal issues through utilizing their creativity and critical-thinking skills.
This is the first year Oxford High School has entered this global science and innovation competition, and we are the only UK school in the country who are participating. Eight Year 10 teams, involving twenty-eight students, have reached the semi-final stage under the inspirational leadership of Mr Gallacher, Ms Siddiqi and Dr Regardsoe.
They have done projects that include: a product that will deal with the effects of climate change in developing countries, two apps trying to reduce and eliminate vaping, a product aiming to tackle problems of extended space travel, two health-related apps and products, an educational app about climate change and a plan to deal with deforestation in the Amazon. They await the results of the competition which are announced in spring half term.
Participating in the Conrad Challenge encourages young people to think outside the box and gives them a glimpse of what it is like working in business or science.
Year 10 student
All students who enter are eligible for a $12 000 per year scholarship at Clarkson University in upstate New York. The top 5 teams in each category are invited to the global finals at the Florida Space center, NASA for 4 days at the start of the summer term. Global finalists are also eligible for $15 000 per year scholarships at Clarkson University, for a total of four years, $15 000 per year scholarship at Jefferson University School of Design and Engineering and $22 000 per year merit-based scholarship at Lewis & Clark College over four years and much more.