Tara Murray
Lalor Secondary College students are putting their skills to good use as they look to find ways to help people get through the COVID-19 pandemic.
From coming up with designs to make safety equipment to help health staff, to a student making their own electronic hands-free sanitiser dispenser, the students have been busy despite not being in the classroom.
Year 10 student Hanz Galaraga won the innovation award at the school’s science fair for his hand dispenser.
“My teachers explained to me that we were doing this electronics project and what I came up with was the hands-free hand sanitiser because of the lockdown,” he explained.
“I thought there had to be an easier way to do it.
“It took less than a month from the planning stage to completing the project. I had fun making it.”
The 15-year-old was stunned when he took out the award.
“I was really surprised as the other projects were really good,” he said.
“I didn’t think mine stood out. There were more complex projects than mine which had a sensor and a motor.”
Science teacher Matt Tempone said the school was looking for ways for students to help the local community.
“Just because you are 15 or 16 and there’s a whole global pandemic it doesn’t mean you can’t contribute.
“The junior kids had to build a race car earlier on and the older kids were given real-world problems to come up with a way to fix it.
“We were looking at parking sensors as an easy thing to start with.”
One of their ideas was to make face shields and ear protectors.
The students designed the shields, with Mr Tempone printing them using a 3D printer and giving the students feedback.
They have since made 200 face shields and several mask ear protectors. A Brisbane-based company came on board to sanitiser the item before distributing them to health providers.
