A team of Katoomba High year 9 students are into the semi-finals of a NSW competition challenging them to address an issue raised during the coronavirus pandemic.
The students were asked to solve the real world problem: "How might we use technology to bring everyone in our community closer together?"
Katoomba High technological and applied sciences teacher Nikolai Liu said Abbie Payne thought to introduce a cable-based transportation system between office blocks that had space for people to meet.
"Abbie used CAD [computer aided design] software to draw a design for the system and create an animated walk-through video showing how the system would be implemented into a CBD," Mr Liu said.
The idea was put forward in a video presentation with a voice over from Abbie discussing her idea and stock video footage to show congestion in cities.
"My project tried to connect people through an alternative type of transport creating a safe place to connect and socialise," Abbie said.
Abbie and the other three members of her team selected for the 2020 Game Changer Challenge will attend an intensive workshop during the semi-finals from October 27 to November 13, where they will learn and apply the design thinking process to build on their video application.
The winners of the seven semi-finals will be judged in a virtual grand final event for the title of 2020 Game Changer Challenge champion on December 1.
Abbie viewed the semi-finals as a great opportunity.
"This will be a valuable lesson on how to pitch ideas to a panel," she said.
The Game Changer Challenge is run by the NSW Education Department. More than 80 primary and secondary school teams have made it into the semi-finals.
Department of Education secretary Mark Scott said today's students will solve the challenges of the future.
"To flourish in this world they will need to be deep thinkers, critical and reflective, empathetic and creative," he said.
"The Game Changer Challenge aims to highlight and develop these future-focused skills."
