Play was the way for participants in the 2024 Eco Challenge! The event saw students from primary, middle, and high schools using gamification to design innovative products that encourage pro-environmental behaviours, aiming to protect Earth's aquatic species.
Students from around the globe, including entries from as far as the United Kingdom, showcased their creativity. Submissions ranged from video games and quizzes to board games and bots. The diversity and ingenuity of the products were truly inspiring! We thoroughly enjoyed judging the entries and hope the participants had just as much fun creating them.
Congratulations to the winners of each category:
Primary School Digital Game – Kalkie State School, Nixon (year 3) for "Great Pacific Garbage Patch”.
Nixon created a digital interactive game about marine debris forming the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. It included a quiz and a scored race against the clock game to collect as much rubbish as you could from the ocean in 60 seconds.
Primary School Physical Game – St Mary’s Catholic Primary School, Eco Heroes Group (years 4 – 6) – for “Buddy”.
The Eco Heroes group came up with a game to use a remote-controlled car to encourage students to dispose of their rubbish responsibly at lunch time. The car has an interchangeable flag representing positive actions that can be taken to protect the reef from marine debris. Only members of the Eco Heroes group can play with buddy and drive him around at lunchtime collecting rubbish from students. A strategic (and cunning) plan to increase membership and reef stewardship!
Middle School Digital Game – Woodford County High School for Girls (England), Amra (year 7) for “Green GO”.
An interactive website designed to encourage users to take part in saving Earth's aquatic species. It includes information about marine life, quick quizzes and challenge activities. Collect badges coins, create avatars and move up the Green Go Leaderboard.
Middle School Physical Game – Woodford County High School for Girls (England), Fatima (year 7) for “Safe Zone Scavengers”.
An interactive board game designed to teach users about the impact we (humans) have on our the Earth's aquatic species and the actions we can take to help save it.
High School Digital Game – Bundaberg North State High School, Benjamin and Phu (year 10 and 11), for “A Race Against Extinction”.
A strategy-based simulation game in which players have to manage and protect the Great Barrier Reef. Includes players to get involved in restoration, removing pest species, educating the public and collaborating with other groups. The game emphasises the impact that our choices have on marine life by directly effecting the Reef simulation, and the benefit of adopting environmental behaviours which increases the health of the Reef simulation.
High School Physical Game – Ryan Catholic College, Emmasyn (year 10) for the submission “Shark Finders”.
Emmasyn submitted an engaging and well produced video presentation of her board game "Shark Finders" based on the board game Trivial Pursuit. However, in Shark Finders players move around the board to answer questions in different categories and collect widgets in each. The game is intended to education people about the dangers and threats faced by many sharks and categories included Threats, Habitats, Diet, Appearance and Fun Facts.
A fantastic effort was made by everyone involved and we wish to thank everyone for your submissions!