How do students develop the skills to become future engineers, innovators, and problem solvers?
At Korowa, one answer can be found in the Korowa Girls' STEM Academy.
Recently, seven teams of Year 8 and 9 students competed in Korowa's internal STEM Racing selection event, putting months of engineering, design thinking, and collaboration to the test. With places at the Victorian STEM Racing State Final on the line, students showcased not only the speed of their race cars, but also the innovation, creativity, and teamwork behind them.
The competition is one example of how the Korowa Girls' STEM Academy provides students with authentic opportunities to apply STEM learning in real world contexts, preparing them for future study, careers, and leadership in STEM fields.
How Korowa Girls' STEM Academy brings engineering to life
The Korowa Girls' STEM Academy is designed to challenge students to think beyond the classroom and engage with the world around them through hands-on, real-world learning experiences.
STEM Racing is one of the flagship programs within the Korowa Girls' STEM Academy, giving students the opportunity to apply engineering principles, design thinking, and problem solving to a real world challenge.
At Korowa’s STEM Academy, our purpose is to empower girls to see themselves as innovators, problem-solvers, and leaders in STEM. The STEM Racing program is such a powerful platform because it brings engineering to life; combining design, data, teamwork, and real-world problem solving in an authentic, high-performance context. It challenges students to think critically, communicate with purpose, and back their ideas with evidence. Most importantly, it builds the confidence and capability our students need to thrive in future engineering pathways.
Andy Murray - Director of Korowa Girls' STEM Academy
Over several months, student teams design, test, and refine miniature race cars using computer aided design (CAD) software and advanced manufacturing technologies. Through an iterative engineering process, students analyse performance data, evaluate prototypes, and continually improve their designs.
Each stage requires critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and a willingness to learn from failure, all key elements of the Korowa Girls' STEM Academy experience.
More than speed in STEM Racing
Success in STEM Racing is not determined by race times alone.
Students are assessed on engineering design, project management, branding, marketing, and communication. Teams create professional portfolios, develop their own identities, and present their ideas in ways that mirror the expectations of modern industry.
This multidisciplinary approach reflects Korowa's belief that future STEM leaders need more than technical knowledge. They need to be effective communicators, collaborators, and problem solvers who can work across disciplines and adapt to changing challenges.
Through the Korowa Girls' STEM Academy, students develop these capabilities while exploring the many pathways available within STEM industries.
Learning through challenge in STEM
One of the most valuable aspects of STEM Racing is the opportunity for students to experience the realities of the design process.
Not every idea works the first time. Designs evolve. Problems emerge. Solutions require persistence.
These moments of challenge help students build resilience and confidence, encouraging them to approach complex problems with curiosity rather than fear. This mindset extends beyond STEM. Across the Korowa Girls' STEM Academy, students learn to embrace challenge, think critically, and view setbacks as opportunities for growth.
As Team Solstice (Year 9) reflected:
Being part of this team has been an amazing experience. It has pushed us to be creative, work together, and perform under pressure. Each setback turned into a chance to learn, and each success showed the hard work of our team.
Building future pathways in STEM
The students' race performances, design portfolios, and marketing displays are now being assessed, with successful teams to be announced soon.
For those who progress, the journey continues. Teams will spend Terms 3 and 4 refining their car aerodynamics, strengthening their branding and marketing strategies, and preparing sponsorship proposals ahead of the Victorian STEM Racing State Final in October.
No matter the outcome, every team has already demonstrated the qualities at the heart of the Korowa Girls' STEM Academy: curiosity, innovation, resilience, collaboration, and the confidence to take on a challenge.
We look forward to seeing where their ideas take them next.
