Sky and Kia, aged 12 and 13, became the UK’s Junior Engineers of the Year at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham for their bicycle training harness invention, ‘Crikey Bikey’. The sisters set up their display stand and were visited by several teams of judges over the two-day Big Bang Fair and were delighted to claim the national title, along with a medal, a framed certificate and a cash prize of £1000. Over 200 finalists took part in the event, at which 75000 visitors were present to enjoy the competitors’ projects, along with numerous science and engineering companies’ stands filled with enticing, hands-on activities that lured everyone to take part.
Crikey Bikey began as an entry in the HMSG and Inglefield House STEM Challenge a year ago and after Renishaw plc, who sponsors the prizes, selected Sky’s project in first place, Kia then became involved in developing the product further. The girls won ‘Best in Show’ at the West Midlands Big Bang ‘Near Me’ event last July and were nominated to compete in the national finals, which take place annually at the NEC in March.
The awards ceremony was full of razzmatazz and the winners were made to feel very special. Jason Bradbury, best known for hosting The Gadget Show and Motor Morphers on Channel 5, presented Kia and Sky with their prize and then interviewed them in front of around 1000 people in the audience. Both girls were a credit to their parents who were present to support them and to their school.
