NEWS DESK
Peninsula Grammar student wins invention award IT was a great end to 2021 for fourteen-year-old Josh Cowie from Peninsula Grammar. He was awarded $10,000 after being named a national winner of Origin’s Little Big Idea competition in the Grade 7-8 category. Selected from more than 1,100 entries, Josh took top spot in his age category for his ‘YouView’ idea, an app featuring software that detects and recognises micro facial expressions to assist people with profound and complex disabilities who are also non-verbal. Josh was inspired after taking part in a survey that made him think about how people with disabilities interact with others and throughout the community. He wanted to come up with an idea that meant everyone can have a voice, every time. ‘YouView’ was recognised for its creativity and innovation by a panel of experts including biomedical engineer and inventor, Dr Jordan Nguyen; former NSW Young Australian of the Year, Macinley Butson;
founder of Australian not-for-profit SolarBuddy, Simon Doble, and Origin’s General Manager of Future Energy and Technology, Joanna Nelson. Origin’s Little Big Idea competition encourages Australian kids to explore their creative potential to solve real-world problems. Origin’s Head of Retail Jon Briskin said, “We are incredibly proud of the competition and the role it plays in encouraging the change-makers of tomorrow to think about real life problems in new and exciting ways.” Peninsula Grammar Principal, Stuart Johnston, said “I congratulate Josh for his wonderful achievement. One of the key principles at our school is ‘inspiring performance’, and Josh’s invention is a true illustration of that ethos”. Little Big Idea: Young Victorian inventor Josh Cowie with awarded $10,000 for his creative idea, pictured with Peninsula Grammar teacher Shennae Searle. Picture: Supplied
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LOIS H. DENNINGTON Certified Practising Accountant Grade 6 students from St. Macartans Primary School have enjoyed working on the marine creatures that will brighten up the boat.
School’s timely refit for park boat STUDENTS from St Macartans Primary School, Mornington, have again given the boat at Schnapper Point Park a facelift and a fresh new look. The school’s grade 5/6 art students were involved in an upgrade of the boat in 2014, so the school jumped at the chance to refresh its look. Art teacher Kristy Hayes took on the project, liaising with Mornington Peninsula Shire Council and then working with the students at the end of last year to brighten up the marine
animals on the boat. “We wanted to be involved in the spruce-up of the park again, so the council suggested we could splash some colour by designing and painting shapes for the boat,” Ms Hayes said. After applying for a grant to do the work in 2020 the project was delayed two years due to COVID, but the artwork has now been completed and is ready to be installed. “Our year 6 art leaders and year 5s - some siblings from the original artists in 2014 - repainted
the fish, mermaid, crabs, starfish and seahorse, while my father and I repaired some animals before the students added new colours and designs to the shapes,” Ms Hayes said. “This time we are even going to add some portholes, kindly made by a local secondary tech teacher from Padua, Sean Chappell. “The students have loved being involved in a community project and something that can be enjoyed by others for a long time.”
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SHARN COOMBES LIBERAL FOR DUNKLEY
Standing strong, fighting for our community Authorised by Sam McQuestin, Liberal Party of Australia (Victorian Division), L12, 257 Collins Street, Melbourne 3000
Mornington News
15 February 2022
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