Finals loom for 2021 Northpower EPro8 Challenge
Published 15 March 2021
The finalists for the 2021 Northpower EPro8 Challenge have been named.
They will compete across two events at Whangarei Intermediate on March 17 and 18 – with the Year 7-8 final on first and the Year 5-6 on Thursday morning.
77 teams from 26 Northland schools competed in seven heats at Dargaville and Whangarei Intermediate last week.
In the Year 7-8 final, eight schools will compete for the title – Arapohue School, Dargaville Intermediate, Kamo Intermediate, Maungakaramea School, Ngunguru School, Parua Bay School, Tautoro School and Whangarei Intermediate.
The Year 5-6 final will see nine schools vying for champion status – Arapohue School, Hurupaki School, Ngunguru School, Onerahi Primary, Parua Bay School, Ruawai School, St Francis Xavier Catholic School, Tautoro School and Waipu School.
EPro8’s Andrew Thiele is looking forward to the 2021 finals.
I have been really impressed with the quality of the teams and how well they have done considering we are right at the start of the year – the students have really blown me away. Since we have got the practice kits into the schools, that standard has really improved. I am also really impressed with the level of support from parents and teachers and I wish all of our finalists luck. I also want to give credit to those teams who missed out on the finals because there was very little between them.”
While not letting any secrets out, Mr Thiele says that the timing of the challenges for the grand final is very interesting given the interest in the America’s Cup.
Let’s just say it has a nautical theme.”
Northpower Network General Manager Josie Boyd is urging the finalists to have fun this week.
Teamwork is the key but win or lose, to have made the finals is a significant achievement. It is certainly pleasing to be sponsoring the 2021 Northpower EPro8 challenge because it has a significant impact on the students. It is clear how much they enjoy the challenge and to have had well over 250 students take part in 2021 is really pleasing."
The popular STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) competition has been the biggest in Northland yet.
