‘The Future Match’ has walked away with the “Best Rookie Team” award in this year's F1 in Schools championship in Abu Dhabi. The two teams ‘The Future Match’ and ‘The Extreme Stars’ represented VISS at the championship.
The two teams, comprising six students each from grade 5 at the Victoria International School of Sharjah (VISS), headed off to Yas Marina Circuit to compete in the annual Junior F1 in Schools UAE National Championship against seventeen teams from across the UAE. The other team ‘the Extreme Stars’ were the 5th fastest out of the 17 competitors in the championship.
The F1 in Schools championship challenges students to design, construct, test, analyse, and race a scale model Formula One car of the future, using CAD/CAM technology. Each team of between three and six students taking part in this competition, brought together their work to present to a judging panel with verbal and written presentations to support their model car, which is raced on a specially designed 25 metre track.
Teams were judged on the speed of the car, the quality of its design and construction, their team image and teamwork, their Pit Display, a portfolio about their model cars and their oral presentations. The VISS students were particularly impressive when questioned about the skills they had used and what they had learned and could articulate this confidently.
This was the school’s first participation in this national competition. Competition was fierce as teams went head to head in an effort to secure the title of UAE Champions and along with it, the sought-after invitation to the F1 in Schools World Finals.
“The Australian curriculum at VISS encourages students to learn to think. This means they need to apply what they learn in class to more challenging situations. We also strongly encourage them to work in teams. It is these skills that will prepare them fully for life” said principal Dr. Roderick Crouch.
Students were required to learn about the influence of friction, aerodynamics and weight on the performance of their cars. This event was the final part of a learning project that involved all of grade 5. The students who represented VISS at the F1 in Schools national competition were a credit to the school – they were not just inventors and entrepreneurs, but fine citizens as well. Isn’t that what we want from our children? “ added Dr Crouch.
About Victoria International School Sharjah
The Victoria International School of Sharjah (VISS) – a school which seeks to be the leading school in the region, was established by The Ruler of Sharjah; His Highness Shaikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammed Al-Qasimi, in conjunction with the State of Victoria, in Australia, to provide students with an excellent all-round education so they can become responsible global citizens as the leaders of tomorrow. At VISS, we are committed to providing each student with powerful, lifelong learning tools in an ever-challenging and personally rewarding environment. To be a student at VISS means to access opportunity – the opportunity to learn, develop and excel.
