IN PICTURES: Foyle College win 2026 Amelia Earhart STEM Challenge

Now in its fifth year, the event is organised by the Technology and Design Department at St. Mary’s College, in partnership with Ulster University’s Magee Engineering Department, and involves both university students and lecturers, adding valuable real-world expertise to the experience.

Taking place on site at the Magee campus, the challenge helps to inspire students by immersing them in a real university engineering environment, allowing them to engage directly with facilities, staff, and student role models.

Supported by the Royal Academy of Engineering, the event also featured an exceptional first prize generously sponsored by Cutting Edge Helicopters and City of Derry Airport, offering winners a behind-the-scenes tour of the airport and a helicopter flight experience.

After a highly competitive day, Foyle College emerged as the overall winner, achieving the highest total score of 32 points.Their consistent performance across several categories demonstrated a well-rounded and highly capable all female team.

St. Brigid’s College secured an excellent second place with 30 points, closely followed by Strabane Academy in third place with 27 points, both schools demonstrating strong performances across multiple aspects of the competition.

The competition featured several key categories, each recognising a different aspect of student achievement: Longest Flying Distance was won by Holy Cross Strabane, whose aircraft demonstrated outstanding aerodynamic performance; Best Plane Aesthetics highlighted creativity and design flair, with St. Brigid’s College taking first place. Their aircraft impressed judges with a visually striking and well-finished design; Best Poster rewarded clear communication and presentation of ideas. Lumen Christi College achieved top marks here, producing an informative and engaging display; Best Interview assessed students’ ability to explain their knowledge of Amelia Earhart and respond to questioning on STEM and engineering. Foyle College and Royal & Prior Raphoe achieved top scores, demonstrating confidence and depth of understanding; Best Participation recognised enthusiasm, engagement, and effort throughout the event. St. Mary’s College stood out in this category, and Best Teamwork celebrated collaboration and cooperation within teams. Sacred Heart College achieved the highest score.

The Amelia Earhart STEM Challenge continues to provide a valuable platform for students to develop key skills such as problem-solving, creativity, resilience, and communication. By working through real-world design challenges, participants gain a deeper understanding of engineering principles while building confidence in their abilities.

Judges, teachers and organisers praised the enthusiasm and high standards displayed by all teams, noting that the quality of work continues to improve year on year.

With Foyle College taking first place this year, alongside strong performances from St. Brigid’s College and Strabane Academy, the standard of work across the competition continues to grow. We wish Foyle College well as they look forward to their prize experience. The commitment and effort shown by all students and staff once again highlight the value of events like this, and set a strong foundation for next year’s challenge.