Cowes Enterprise College Hosts Annual Science Festival

Cowes Enterprise College proudly hosted the annual Isle of Wight Science Festival this July, an event dedicated to igniting interest in STEM careers among young students. The festival, themed around “lighting a spark,” brought together twenty-three local companies that shared captivating exhibition stands, displays, demonstrations, and hands-on mini-tasks, creating a vibrant and engaging experience for Year 7 students at the academy.

The festival featured diverse exhibition zones, including a Model Phased Array Radar system, a stunning 3.5-meter dinosaur skeleton, and an interactive model Ocean ‘Plankton Poo’ tank exhibit, showcasing the ocean’s carbon cycle. Students were also thrilled by a demonstration on the mechanics of touch screens.

Among the interactive workshops, the STEM Challenge Workshop was a standout, with activities such as path plotting, where students plotted a safe route for a robot to reach its destination quickly, and programming a robotic arm using Roboguide simulation software. These activities not only fostered problem-solving skills but also provided a taste of real-world STEM applications.

All Year 7 students had the opportunity to watch a live science show by Dr Gareth Francis of Working Science who captivated the audience with experiments and insights into space exploration, including the Artemis programme and advancements from SpaceX and NASA. He demonstrated generating electricity with solar panels and fruit batteries, colour-changing chemical reactions with a purple cabbage indicator solution, and the principles of wave travel and reflection using a simple wave machine.

In addition to the activities for younger students, the festival featured a Careers Speed Meet event for Year 10 and 12 students. This event aimed to broaden their understanding of potential career opportunities, employability skills, and interview techniques, with support from the exhibitors.

As part of the academy’s Maritime Futures curriculum, Cowes Enterprise College also showcased its very own Maritime Showcase, where Year 7 students presented their field trip findings exploring the effectiveness of coastal management in Cowes. Working in small groups, students demonstrated their geographical knowledge and collaborative skills, engaging enthusiastically with guests to answer questions and share their insights.

Principal, Rachel Kitley, said:

“The annual Science Festival at Cowes Enterprise College is a testament to our commitment to inspiring the next generation of STEM professionals. The enthusiasm and curiosity shown by our students, combined with the incredible support from local companies and exhibitors, made this event truly remarkable. We are delighted to provide such enriching opportunities that spark a lifelong passion for science and technology.”