Future problem solvers

Kilvington students achieve Silver on the world stage

Four Kilvington students have achieved remarkable international success, winning a Silver Medal at the Future Problem Solving International Conference held at Indiana University in Bloomington, USA.

Representing Australia in the Community Problem Solving division, Harrison, Max, Alex and Noah competed against students from around the world, showcasing their creativity, collaboration and commitment to making a meaningful difference within their school community.

Community Problem Solving is a component of the Future Problem Solving Program that challenges students to identify a genuine issue within their school or local community and develop an innovative, sustainable solution. The program encourages students to think critically and creatively while taking meaningful action, empowering young people to recognise that they can create positive change.

The team's project, SPEAK (Supporting Progress in English and Knowledge), addressed the need to support students from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. Their aim was to develop resources to improve English language skills, assisting their understanding, engagement and communication with their peers, teachers and in class.

Through extensive research, including interviews with students and teachers and an investigation of existing support materials, the students developed a range of resources to support English language learning. These included bilingual flashcards, bilingual games, picture storybooks, digital games, outdoor activities and a lunchtime club. Meeting with students two to three times each week, the team continually refined their resources based on feedback and need. Throughout the year, they regularly supported approximately 12 students from Prep to Year 2, with teachers and students reporting growing confidence in communicating in English.

The international competition involved a rigorous judging process, with teams assessed through reports, a portfolio, board presentation, video submission and an interview with a panel of judges. Reflecting on the experience, Noah described the interview as an important but nerve-racking part of the competition.

"We were all feeling nervous because this was an important part of the competition, and we wanted to do our best," he wrote. "Although we had prepared beforehand, it was still quite scary speaking in front of experienced judges and answering their questions. However, as the interview continued, I became more confident and was able to explain our project more clearly."

"Harrison, Max, Alex, and I worked together to answer the questions and present our project as a team. The judges were friendly and professional, which helped us feel a little more comfortable. Even though the interview was stressful, it was also a valuable experience because it gave us the opportunity to share our hard work and learn from the feedback we received."

The team also spent three hours presenting their project at the international expo, answering questions from visitors, judges and fellow competitors.

"Standing for such a long time and presenting the same information over and over again was very tiring, but it was also a rewarding experience because we had the chance to show others what we had achieved," Noah reflected.

The culmination of the week came at the results ceremony. After waiting anxiously to see if their project had been shortlisted, the students were announced among the top five projects in the world.

"As each team was called up from fifth place, we cheered each time we came closer to being the final team," Noah wrote. "When we were finally called, we were thrilled to find out that we had come in second place."

Winning Silver on the international stage was an incredible achievement for the team. They were proud of what they achieved and saw how dedication, hard work and commitment can be rewarded. "Even though the journey home was tiring, I was grateful for all the memories I made with my teammates, Harrison, Max, and Alex," reflects Noah.

Their success is a testament not only to their innovation and perseverance, but also to the power of student-led initiatives to create meaningful change. Through SPEAK, the team identified a genuine need within the Kilvington community and developed a sustainable solution that has already made a positive impact on younger students. Congratulations to Harrison, Max, Alex and Noah on this outstanding achievement and for representing both Kilvington and Australia with such distinction.