4 April 2025
Northpower EPro8 Challenge ends in a tiebreaker finish
St Francis Xavier Catholic School and Ngunguru School have been crowned champions of the 2025 Northpower EPro8 Challenge competition after an intense final at Whangarei Boys’ High School in late March.
In what came down to a tiebreaker finish in the Year 5-6 interschool final, the SFX Angels from St Francis managed to build the highest tower in a four-minute, four-way showdown for first place. Kaurihohore School, Waipu Primary and One Tree Point School finished in joint second.
The Ngunguru School team NGU RD3 won the Year 7-8 title in their grand final, ahead of a three-way tie for second place with Tautoro School, Kamo Intermediate and St Joseph’s School in Dargaville.
Great demonstration of teamwork and determination
Northpower is proud to sponsor the EPro8 Northland inter-school challenge, a science and engineering competition where students from Years 5-13 represent their schools and compete for the title of Northpower EPro8 Northland Champions.
In the closely fought finals held conjointly, teams had to accumulate points by completing the EPro8 challenges, which included building an Indiana Jones boulder chase, an underground Thunderbirds launch pad and a Back to the Future Delorean.
Northpower Community Partnerships Lead Arriane Christie says the EPro8 Challenge provides students a great opportunity to try using a range of different skills in a competitive environment.
“The teams use problem solving skills and demonstrate great teamwork and determination to complete the challenges and it’s amazing to see these students so focused,” Arriane says.
“Seeing students learn about science, technology, engineering, and maths, in a practical way, all while having fun and competing is inspirational and that is why Northpower love sponsoring this event.”
“Congratulations to all the students that participated in the EPro8 Challenge from the internal school events to the grand finals.”
Around 50 teachers and parents watched the Year 5-6 and Year 7-8 finals, which took place a week after the heats for each age group were held at Kamo Intermediate.
The Year 9-10 competition was held on Wednesday with Whangarei Boys’ High School Team 2 taking out top spot and qualifying for the senior semifinals in Auckland in August.
Proud sponsors
Northpower is proud to sponsor the EPro8 Northland inter-school challenge, a science and engineering competition where students from Years 5-13 represent their schools and compete for the title of Northpower EPro8 Northland Champions.
We encourage Northland schools to promote Science, Technology, Engineering, and Maths (STEM) learning and see EPro8 as a hands-on, fun way for kids to develop these skills.
Schools keen to have a go at EPro8 and include it as part of their STEM learning can use Northpower’s lend kits at any time throughout the year. Get in touch with us.