An idea developed by a group of Dapto High School students as part of a statewide problem-solving competition last year is one step closer to reality.

The ‘Horsely Heros’ team of five female students, who were in Year 7 at the time, came up with their innovative solution to create a customisable car for people with disabilities as part of last year's Game Changer Challenge - the Department of Education’s award-winning design thinking competition.

And while their idea didn’t win a prize, it impressed multinational tech company HP, who sent their design team to Dapto High School to help the students refine their design and get it ready for 3D printing.

Their vision has now been turned into a prototype using an industrial size 3D printer based in Singapore that manufactures high end components for clients including Boeing.

The prototype, along with matchbox size versions of the car for each team member, was unveiled by HP recently and presented to Ruby Cruden-Taylor, Hannah Tate, Mia Cole, Ebony Gallagher and Nevaeh Fulton from the Dapto High School team.

“We decided to create a car for people with paraplegia - this was a big thing for all of us,” Dapto High School student Ebony Gallagher said.

“We really wanted to show interest in this and make it much simpler and easier and smoother for people to get in and out of their cars.”

Their five-seater car design could be modified for seven occupants and includes a wheelchair-lifting mechanism and space in the car for a wheelchair user to drive or sit in the rear or front of the car as passenger.

“The tracks help guide the wheelchair user smoothly in and out of the car without having any problems or them having to get out of their wheelchair,” team member Hannah Tate said.

“The wheelchair lifting mechanism allows the wheelchair user to roll onto the mechanism and then be lifted into the car where they then can choose where they'd like to sit.”

Dapto High School principal Joel Burnett said the team’s collaboration with HP over the last twelve months had been a powerful learning journey for the students.

“I’ve seen the power of the collaboration with industry, and the way it can change the lives of our of our students and broaden their horizons,” Mr Burnett said.

“[The students] have learnt a lot around 3D printing and the design that sits behind that, and I think they've learned a lot as well in terms of presentation.

“I’m really, really proud of the girls, and I think they've got an enormous amount of self-confidence from the project and have done fantastically well,” he said.

Executive Director for Regional South and Connected Communities, Kathy Powzun was at the unveiling of the prototype at HP’s head office in Sydney on Friday, 25 October.

“Today we're celebrating what's possible when we unite students, educators and industry alike in the Game Changer Challenge, a competition that showcases the incredible impact of collaboration between schools and industry leaders,” Ms Powzun said.

“I'm really thrilled to be here and celebrate what's possible with our five young women from Dapto High School.”

HP has been a Game Changer Challenge partner since 2021. This partnership not only provides mentorship and real-world career insights to the students but also exemplifies the strong connections between public education and industry.

Their education ambassador, Brett Salakas said HP staff interstate, New Zealand and Singapore worked together to help the Dapto High School students bring this concept to life.

“Education is about making our students, making our youth, making our society a better place,” Mr Salakas said.

“As soon as I heard about the project I was like, I need to make that happen.

“The more we can uplift our students, the better all of Australia is, and if we from HP can link with the Department of Education and make our students be able to think highly and achieve more, then we all benefit from that.”

The Game Changer Challenge is a competition open to public schools across the state that centres on discovering solutions for a real-world, wicked problem by applying what students have learnt in the classroom.

In 2024, teams are working to solve the wicked problem to 'Make life better for all without harming the planet’, with a record number of more than 400 entries in this year’s competition.

A total of 120 teams participated in 1 of 5 virtual semi-finals last term, with 20 teams making it through to this month’s live grand final event in Parramatta from 5 to7 November.