A school team’s project to help Cornwall Council promote a new food waste collection service has been named best in the country in a national competition.
Youngsters from Penpol Primary School wowed the judges with their slick presentation at the finals of the First Lego League in Harrogate last month after being named regional winners at RNAS Culdrose in March.
They bagged the winner’s trophy in the ‘Innovation Project’ round and came second overall in the inter-school tournament, which aims to promote careers science, technology, engineering and maths.
The event sees youngsters design and build Lego robots to complete a variety of tasks, as well as complete a project and presentation. This year’s competition was all about exploring how energy is sourced, transported and consumed around the world.
The Cornish team – consisting of Jenna, Ada, Caio, Felix, Ethan, James B, James S, Piran, Ernie and Miles, all aged 10 or 11 - named themselves the Penpol Pumpkins after being inspired by the freaky fruit during Halloween last year.
They were amazed by how many in their neighbourhoods had been left to rot on doorsteps and then thrown in the rubbish.
After making some enquiries, they soon realised that it wasn’t only pumpkins that were thrown away in the rubbish – in fact over 35% of all black bin bags in Cornwall contain food waste.
They began devising a way of stopping this, before learning that Cornwall Council was planning to start a food waste collection service.
The talented team then embarked on a project to create an advertising campaign including TV, radio, Tik-Tok and posters to support the Council scheme and encourage people to recycle food rather than putting it in the rubbish.
And eight months later this culminated in a theatrical presentation – which you can view here and below - that blew away all of the competition.
Ada, from the Penpol Pumpkins, said: “When we learnt that Cornwall Council were going to use our ideas to help them promote this across all of Cornwall, I felt like it was a big step forward for our ideas and goals. It’s gone beyond being a part of a LEGO competition and we’re now going to be able to make a real difference in our part of the world!”
James B added: “This competition has allowed me to be more open and honest about myself, for example I know that people can trust me and I can trust them. When we first started none of us really knew each other but over time we’ve built such strong relationships and friendships with each other.”
And Miles said: “I was very shocked, but also very proud of our team because I knew how hard we’d all worked to get this achievement and how much time and effort we’d all put in over the years. It made me feel very overwhelmed but in the best possible way.”
Cllr Barbara Ellenbroek, Cabinet Member for Children and Families at Cornwall Council, said: “I’m often left awe-struck by the creativity and talent displayed by our children and young people in Cornwall but never more so than when I saw what the Penpol Pumpkins had achieved in this fantastic national competition.
“I’m so proud of them and I have no doubt that each and every one will go on to do amazing things in their lives and careers. It is children like them who are the future, and seeing how passionate and conscientious and hard-working they are gives me hope that our planet will be in safe hands.”
To read more about the Penpol Pumpkins’ journey check out the blog on the school's website. For more on the First Lego League visit the official website.
Press release issued on May 10, 2023.
