Mackay North State High School team in 2022 F1 in Schools national comp

Five Mackay teenagers have reached the national level in a worldwide competition after designing and building rocket-powered wooden race cars – and now they need your help.

Five Mackay teenagers have reached the national level in a worldwide competition after designing and building rocket-powered wooden race cars – but now they need your help.

Five North Mackay State High School year 10 students – who are aspiring engineers, infantry officers and doctors – are heading to F1 in Schools in April, after winning the regional and state competition last year.

The F1 in Schools STEM Challenge is one of the world’s foremost student competitions for science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

North Mackay State High student Arya Patel said not only did the team build wooden, rocket powered race cars from scratch but they also had to create their team identity and gain funding through various sponsorships.

“We had to create a team identity through making a uniform, colour scheme, banner, business cards and we had to seek out our own sponsorships,” Arya said.

“So Pop Press was one of our main sponsors and they helped us with the printing and setting up our portfolios and business cards.”

Eroni Tagicakitai said their team Mechanico had won eight different category awards in both the regional and state competition last year.

“We went to the regional competition in the Whitsundays and then state finals in Mackay,” Eroni said.

“We came first place in eight different category awards and that included kids from the Gold Coast and up North.

“It was definitely a big shock as we did not think we would make it past states.”

Mackay North State High School year 10 student Eroni Tagicakitai is the engineer manager of the Mechanico F1 team. Picture: Madeleine Graham

The students used software programs to design the wooden cars and a 3D modelling program to manufacture them.

They designed the cars to be as light as possible while following specific rules for the competition.

The students are judged on how fast their car goes and its reaction time, as well how they perform in their verbal presentation, engineering and marketing interviews.

Eroni said the five team members – that included himself and Arya, as well as Kimberly Ortega, Owen Wapeles and Lachlan Bank, were allocated specific leadership roles in managing, design, engineering and marketing.

“I am the engineering manager, Lachlan is the business manager, Owen is the engineering manufacturer, Kimberly is the team manager and Arya is head of enterprise,” Eroni said.

“Arya is the head engineer and he uses a program called inventor to design the car.”

Eroni said he was interested in pursuing a career in the army as an infantry officer while the other team members were interested in engineering and medicine.

Arya said Mechanico needed to raise at least $13,000 in total to afford their stay in Melbourne for five days.

They are asking for Mackay businesses to help in any way they could, and have provided platinum, gold, silver and bronze sponsorship contributions ranging from $250 to $2,500.

L-R:Mackay North State High School year 10 students Arya Patel, Kimberly Ortega, Owen Wapeles, Lachlan Bank and Eroni Tagicakitai are heading to Nationals for a F1 STEM competition in April, 2022. Picture: Madeleine Graham

“Anythings would help whether that is sponsorships, donations or to get our name out there,” he said.

“We have already raised $9000 with sponsorships but to afford accommodation and food in Melbourne we require at least $13,000 in total,” Arya said.

Eroni said regardless of if they won or lost, they were appreciative for the experience and the learning opportunity.

“We are just going to do our best and for some of us it is going to be our first time,” he said.

Contact Mechanico on their instagram @mechanico — aus or email them on [e-mail].