Auckland regional finals of nationwide digital championship

Innovation on display at Auckland regional finals of nationwide digital championship

26 October 2018 – The Auckland regional winners of the inaugural Tahi Rua Toru Tech national championship were announced at a special ceremony at Unitec yesterday evening. Tahi Rua Toru Tech is an exciting new digital technology championship, open to all New Zealand school students, which launched in April this year.

Local technology hero Angie Judge, Founder and CEO of Dexibit, took part in the awards ceremony, and says the entries are a fine example of the innovation and creativity Kiwi kids are capable of. “It’s fantastic to see the that the emphasis in Tahi Rua Toru Tech is on creating solutions for real-world problems – it is not just about learning how to use a device or an application.”

For the Auckland region, winners were announced for four levels of the championship – First, Bronze, Silver and Primary level:

First Challenge winners
Arahoe School, Arahoe Aces designed an app for new entrants to see a 360-degree view of Te Kohanga (the new entrant classroom), so new children would feel more familiar with their new school environment. The judges were impressed by the simple idea with big benefits for school students.

Bronze Challenge winners
Hobsonville Point Secondary School team, The Sitters designed a safe secure app connecting parents and registered babysitters. Their concept and story boarding wowed the judges, who commented the work exceeded what they had seen in the commercial sector.

Silver Challenge winners
Westlake Girls High School team, Lunar Eclipse designed a game to create awareness around pollution. Their creativity, depth of research and concepting won the judges over.

Primary Challenge winners
Arahoe School team, Arahoe Coders won the Auckland Primary challenge, in which they competed against four other teams on stage during yesterday’s event.

All Auckland winners will compete for the national title in their respective levels at the national finals event taking place in Wellington on Wednesday 5 December where all regional winners will come together to show off their innovations.

The competition, which has the backing of the Ministry of Education, is designed to encourage greater participation in technology and will inform and inspire students, teachers, parents and their communities about the new Digital Technologies/Hangarau Matihiko curriculum. The curriculum is currently being introduced at all primary and secondary school levels for Years 0-10 in 2020.

Chief Executive, IT Professionals New Zealand, Paul Matthews says ensuring all New Zealand children and young people leave school with a basic understanding of digital technology is essential in preparing them for the 21st century workforce.

“Tahi Rua Toru Tech sets out to provide a positive experience about this important subject before it becomes compulsory,” says Mr Matthews.

“Every student in New Zealand has to potential to shine in Tahi Rua Toru Tech – and in Digital Technology/Hangarau Matahiko. This is not only a competition for students who are “good at maths”, successful technology solutions require the application of every skillset, including design, logic, art and people skills.

“It is particularly pleasing that the competition emphasizes team work, as students will be required to work in groups. Great solutions are not invented by individuals, they are created by teams of people working together to achieve a common goal.”

ENDS

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