The event, which kicks off at 10am this Saturday, 17 May, at The Sunzone at the Suncoast Casino and Entertainment World will see the girls race their 20cm, gas-powered vehicle and compete for the title of 'The F1 in Schools Challenge'.
Come on down to witness CityVarsity's team who form part of Durban's youngest F1 car designers and creators, and meet nine other (both public and private) schools, who will face off against each other on the tracks.
The Educor Group will be sponsoring three schools this year in support of technology and engineering in secondary schools, which is the preamble to the Top Gear Festival, which will take place this June.
Umlazi Comtech of Umlazi, Durban Girls' College of Musgrave and Crossmoor Secondary School of Chatsworth were the lucky schools chosen because of their commitment and passion for creative education.
Durban Girls' College, established in 1877 and home to over 810 girls, were the proud recipients of a R25 000 sponsorship from CityVarsity, a division of Educor, to assist them in the competition. This includes the branding of the cars, uniforms, pit stands, portfolio layout and print, as well as giveaways for the competition day.
CityVarsity is a premier school of Media and Creative Arts in South Africa specialising in Higher Education qualifications, and offers a range of Diplomas and Certificates in the fields of Film, Television and Media Arts. In addition, CityVarsity, which has campuses located in Johannesburg and Cape Town, offers a wide range of Professional Short Courses for individuals who wish to improve their skills.
According to the Group Marketing Manager for CityVarsity, Natalie Hopkins, "The CityVarsity team saw 'The F1 in Schools Challenge' as a perfect opportunity to invest in the creative education of pupils, and working with an all-girl school has provided a new and exciting outlook on technology and engineering. "
The Durban Girls' College group named, Team Alpha, will compete against twelve teams and nine other schools from in and around Durban, all in a bid to design and create an F1 car of the future.
In an interview with the physical science teacher, Ms Helen McCreadie, at Durban Girls' College, she said, "We here at Durban Girls' College are extremely excited to receive the generous sponsorship from the CityVarsity brand. Thus far it has certainly been a great experience for the girls. The partnership with CityVarsity has not only provided financial support to the pupils, but also taught them how to make mature decisions. The team is made up of both grade 10s and 11s, which did cause a level of difficulty to work with in the beginning, however as they progressed they learnt how to communicate effectively and manage their time to work together. CityVarsity, being the dynamic brand it is, has made the girls proud of their team and we look forward to an awesome event this Saturday."
The Durban Girls' College team were sponsored with 3D CAD Software by Autodesk to facilitate the design process of the car. In addition, the Industrial Engineering Department at Durban University of Technology, along with Modena Design Centre Durban mentored and assisted Durban Girls' College with the technical and IT aspects of designing the F1 cars.
According to the Project Manager of the Top Gear Festival Legacy Initiative, Anna Sacks, the aim of 'The F1 in Schools Challenge' was to inspire students to utilise computer software to learn about physics, aerodynamics, design, manufacturing, branding, graphics, sponsorship, marketing, leadership, teamwork, media skills and financial strategy and apply them in a practical, imaginative, competitive and exciting way.
Together, the aim of 'The F1 in Schools Challenge' is to inspire, empower and educate pupils, whilst providing them with an entertaining twist.
For more information, pictures and updates on the 'F1 in Schools Challenge', and Team Alpha, please visit the CityVarsity Facebook page; www.facebook.com/#!/cityvarsity.
Also visit www.cityvarsity.co.za/homepage.php to view the wide range of courses or contact the following campuses directly; Newtown on 011 634 9840, Braamfontein on 011 242 6360 or Cape Town on 021 466 6800.
