Northern Midlands Students Shine at Illuminate Challenge Week 2026
Posted on July 03, 2026
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Northern Midlands Students Shine at Illuminate Challenge Week 2026
More than 150 students from across the Northern Midlands have completed Illuminate Education Challenge Week 2026, developing innovative and practical ideas to help communities prepare for and respond to fire, flood, drought and the impacts of a changing climate. The week-long program was held at Perth Primary School Hall from 15–19 June 2026 and culminated in a well-attended awards ceremony and student showcase.
The event brought together Year 5 and 6 students from Campbell Town, Cressy, Longford, Perth and Bracknell schools. Coordinated by the Northern Midlands Business Association (NMBA), Illuminate has now engaged more than 500 students over the past three years, providing hands-on learning experiences at no cost to students or schools.
Throughout the week, students worked in teams to explore community resilience and emergency preparedness. They investigated real local challenges, tested solutions, built prototypes, developed budgets and marketing concepts, and presented their ideas to an audience of parents, businesses, community members and government representatives.
The final presentations demonstrated the creativity and practical thinking of the students. Projects included emergency kits for households, animal evacuation services during natural disasters, local food resilience initiatives, and educational tools to help families prepare for severe weather events.
Among the standout projects was Future Fires from Longford Primary School, which received the Overall Best Solution Award for its bushfire preparedness concept. CROPT Power Service from Bracknell Primary School was named runner-up for its idea aimed at supporting a more resilient local power supply. Other award-winning projects focused on safer bridge access during extreme weather, mobile health support services and practical disaster readiness solutions for vulnerable community members.
The awards ceremony, attended by more than 100 guests, celebrated not only the students’ ideas but also their teamwork, leadership and commitment to making a positive difference in their communities. Federal Senator and NMBA Board member Tammy Tyrell presented the awards and joined community supporters in recognising the students’ achievements.
NMBA President said the program continues to demonstrate the value of investing in young people and providing opportunities for them to tackle real-world challenges.
“Illuminate Challenge Week shows what young people can achieve when they are trusted with meaningful problems to solve. Their ideas were thoughtful, practical and grounded in a genuine desire to help their communities become stronger and more resilient.”
Importantly, the journey does not end with Challenge Week. The community will soon have the opportunity to vote on the student ideas they believe have the greatest potential. NMBA will use the feedback to identify concepts that could be further developed and potentially funded, creating a lasting legacy for both the students and the wider Northern Midlands community.
NMBA acknowledged the support of Illuminate Education Australia, Perth Primary School, participating schools, Launceston Airport, Kinetic, mentors, judges, businesses, community organisations and government representatives whose contributions helped make the week a success.
For NMBA, the week provided a powerful reminder that the future of the Northern Midlands is in capable hands. The students demonstrated leadership, creativity and community spirit, offering confidence that the next generation is ready to help shape a resilient and prosperous future.