Four Year 12 students from Oxford High School GDST have just returned from Houston, Texas with a major international accolade under their belts. Competing at the prestigious Conrad Challenge Innovation Summit, Team mO=On were crowned winners of the Entrepreneurial Innovator Award and the only European finalists.
The Conrad Challenge, sponsored by Equinor, is no ordinary school competition. It invites young people aged 13–18 from around the world to tackle some of the planet’s – and the galaxy’s – most complex problems through innovation and entrepreneurship. With over 4,000 students from more than 50 countries entering this year’s contest, making it to the final round alone is a remarkable feat.
But Team mO=On – Amy, Aaron, Casey and Christina – went one step further. Their ambitious project took on a challenge critical to the future of space exploration: how to extract, store and transport liquid Oxygen and Hydrogen on the Moon. Their idea? A lunar-based service to supply essential fuel to space agencies and private companies aiming to launch deeper missions into space, including to Mars.
Their pitch impressed a panel of expert judges from NASA, academia, and the space industry during the final round at Space Center Houston. Their innovation and professionalism earned them not only praise but the top award in their category.
The team was supported throughout by science teachers Dr Adrian Kewell and Mr Mike Gallacher. Reflecting on the win, Mr Gallacher said:
“I am absolutely thrilled – it is the highlight of my teaching career to have played even a small part in this incredible achievement.”
