11:45am Friday 16th March 2007
By Gary Bills-Geddes
Newent Community College will get £17,000 of Government cash over the next two years to develop an active science and engineering club as a national pilot scheme.
The Watery Lane school was chosen to launch a new £5m initiative on behalf of the Department for Education and Skills.
The Government's aim is to eventually develop 250 after-school science and engineering clubs.
Over 100 students were at the launch and around 50 took part in a series of science challenges, including setting up a rocket launch and designing a rocket to carry an egg without breaking it.
In line with National Science and Engineering Week, which ends on Monday, students were asked to design and test a wind turbine. There was also a demonstration of a household turbine supplied by B&Q.
John Goodchild, head of science at Newent, said: "We are looking forward to growing our club and developing activities that will inspire our children to become the engineers and scientists of tomorrow."
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