Genazzano FCJ College: Inventors show initiative
The Weekly Times
July 11, 2018 3:08pm
The learning and teaching programs at Genazzano FCJ College give students the opportunity to grow, develop and excel.
One such opportunity is a unique entrepreneurial program called Girls Invent for Year 9 students. Students create a business or social enterprise and use 21st century skills to bring their idea to life.
The Girls Invent workshops are run by inventor and businessman Dr Mark Glazebrook, who motivates students to innovate by using examples of successful inventions created by women as a starting point. The program encourages girls to use an “ideation framework” to clarify ideas they already have, or generate new ideas.
Students then turn their ideas into reality through design, feasibility studies, market research, intellectual property research, resourcing and possible routes to market.
Students Charlotte MacIsaac, Claudia Cococcia and Mia MacIsaac participated in the Girls Invent program and created a drive-through express lane concept for supermarkets, which earned them a school award.
“Express Mart is for purchasing up to 20 ‘essential’ items via a window or app, pay and then drive through to have the groceries placed in your car,” the girls said.
“If a customer wanted to purchase more than 20 items but still use the drive-through, they could do this on the specially designed app by selecting their items at home, drive straight through the express lane and receive the groceries.
“We think this would be useful to a broad population including the elderly, disabled, busy parents (especially ones with sleeping babies in the car) or when the weather is poor.
“The Girls Invent program has taught us many things about thinking creatively, knowing your market, and time management.
“We know that these skills will help us with future jobs as we have learnt how to be independent and also how to work as a team.
Year 9 students have also been participating in the personal project program, researching a topic in depth by collaborating with Deakin University and college library staff.
All students then have the opportunity to present their inventions or research topics at a college expo.
The college believes that learning should be engaging, challenging and, above all, fun.
Students are encouraged to dream, be confident and allow their passion for learning to grow and develop.
