A GROUP of students who missed out winning a national title last year have bounced back this year.

Stars from Testbourne Community School, Mia Paganuzzi, Lauren Armitage and Elyse Kenny, are set to shine at a science and engineering competition for their ‘ELM Town’ project, seeking to solve the world’s climate change problems.

The Year 10 team was announced as one of the winners of the online heats at The Big Bang Fair, and will now showcase their eco-project at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists and Engineers Competition in Birmingham in March.

Last summer the students took part in the Teen Tech Awards as finalists in the Design and Construction category.

Their model town encourages clean behaviour and mannerisms and each part of the town has a part to play in the running and energising of itself. From exercising in the gym powering mini power packs for the town’s power bank and waste from the town’s inhabitants power the ‘Poo Buses’, the town is also complete with wind turbines and agriculture chambers.

Hilary Leevers, chief executive of EngineeringUK, said: “Mia, Lauren and Elyse really impressed the judges with their project and we’re excited to see how they do at the finals at The Fair.

“Going into its eleventh year in 2019, The Big Bang Fair continues to be a great source of STEM inspiration for young people, representing an amazing opportunity for young visitors, their teachers and parents to get hands-on with a wide range of activities, workshops and shows, and engage in meaningful career conversations with professionals, all designed to bring classroom learning to life and inspire the next generation.”

The trio will vie for top prizes at the four-day event being held next month.