This summer, we launched a very exciting competition, where your classroom displays “took flight” and landed centre stage on the STEM Community. Entrants stood the chance of winning tickets to the world-renowned Farnborough International Airshow at the exclusive Dassault Systemes Chalet.
The Farnborough International Airshow is attended by some of the biggest names in the aerospace, aviation and defence industry, providing opportunities to network, build new connections, engage with thought leaders and, ultimately, pioneer change.
When looking through the classroom displays, our judges were looking for clarity, a clear flow of ideas, and creativity. The judges could tell that none of the entrants were winging it, and competition was fierce.
After much consideration, judges decided that the winner was Gill Fitzpatrick, with her Design Technology display. Gill is the Assistant Headteacher at Beech Hill Community Primary School in Wigan, teaching a year 3-4. Gill is also subject lead for Design Technology, Music and Philosophy.
Gill is a keen member of the STEM Community, enjoying finding opportunities for networking, and being inspired to use new resources in the classroom.
In celebration of Gill’s creativity and educational prowess, as shown by her display, Gill was invited to attend the airshow, alongside STEM Learning Chief Executive Severine Trouillet.
We spoke with Gill after the event, to see what she thought. There were a multitude of different elements of the event to enjoy, from large plane exhibitions, talks, exhibition stands and forums, which Gill described as “amazing”. Gill thoroughly enjoyed “taking in the sights” and absorbing everything that the event had to offer.
The crowning elements of the day for Gill were the network opportunities, which she called a “real highlight”. Gill was inspired by the talks and speeches, finding them “absolutely inspirational”. It seems that the human element of day, in which attendees could hear from, and interact with one another, was the most rewarding for Gill, who values connections in teaching. Gill’s school runs a collaborative networking group, which she feels is a “direct result of [STEM Learning] CPD we’ve had”.
Speaking at the event was STEM Learning Chief Executive Severine Trouillet, who shared information around the impact that STEM Learning has and is continuing to have on the lives of young people in the UK.
Gill shared that she felt validated and affirmed by the event, taking assurance that her decision to integrate industry firmly within her STEM teaching is “absolutely the right thing to do”. Gill felt proud to attend the event and was pleased that the hard work of her year 3-4 pupils was able to be recognised in this way. Gill takes pride in the work they do in STEM at her school and feels that STEM Learning has given her a platform to take their science learning “so much further”.
If you would like to get involved in a STEM Community competition, and be in with the chance of winning another of our fabulous prizes, head over to the STEM Community now –
https://community.stem.org.uk/blogs/tim-bradbury1/2024/07/02/competition-stem-summer-resource-splash