Central Coast Science and Engineering Challenge
The Science and Engineering Challenge is a day-long competition designed to provide (or year 9) high school students with a positive experience of science and engineering.  A maximum of eight (8) schools per day compete against each other at one central venue.
This year was another very successful event with 16 schools competing over 2 days.     Almost 500 students attended, good media coverage and 5 local and federal polititians  attending.     The University of Newcastle has on-going statistical evidence of the success of the program with increased tertiary enrolment in the Science,Technology, Engineering and Mathematics faculties.     This event has seen unprecedented cooperation among the Rotary clubs of the Central Coast, with 11 clubs contributing funds and 9 sending much needed volunteers to help over the 2 days.        Once again St Edwards College at East Gosford donated use of their fabulous hall, completely free of charge.      
        This years winning team from Gosford High School progress to the state finals in what has grown to be a national event, started 17 years ago by the Uni of Newcastle and the Rotary Club of Gosford.    In 2017 it will continue, once again at St Edwards.
 
It will be presented by The University of Newcastle ln cooperation with the Rotary Club of Gosford on Monday 19 June and Tuesday 20 June 2017.
 
Parents and members of the community are also very welcome to participate and/or watch.  Each team is divided into 8 groups of 2 to 4 students. Each group works on either one full-day activity or two half-day activities. (There are eight different workshop-style activities at each Challenge.)  Each activity is assigned a colour.  Students are given a wrist band the same colour as their activity.  For example, students wearing a silver wrist band will usually do the full-day activity 'The Bridge', but students wearing a purple wristband will do one half-day activity in the morning and a different half-day activiity in the afternoon.
 
Students are awarded points for each activity and the school with the most cumulative points at the end of the day is declared the winner.  The highest scoring winning schools from each state/zone will subsequently compete against each other for a place in the state and - perhaps - the national competition.
 
The Science and Engineering Challenge for 2017 is scheduled for June 19 and 20 and once again will be held in the St Edwards College hall, East Gosford