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The Prospect Early Years to Year 12 school has developed a range of cutting-edge STEM programs that provide students with hands-on learning – and, importantly, tangible links to future career options.

In 2022, Blackfriars was one of only nine South Australian schools to win a grant from the Andy Thomas Space Foundation to participate in its Mars Program. Students used 3D CAD design, electronics and coding to build a prototype of a satellite which could collect and send data to a ground station. Blackfriars went on to win the Space Communication Award at the Andy Thomas Space Foundation Showcase.

STEM Coordinator Matthew Wallace said given South Australia’s burgeoning space industry, it was important students had an appreciation of career options in the sector.

“They always talk about the brain drain from South Australia; the really good people get poached to the eastern states or internationally,” Mr Wallace said.

“But if we’ve got something that’s internationally competitive and got that sort of reputation, then students from South Australia can aspire to something local without thinking, ‘oh, I haven’t really made it unless I go and work in New York’. I think there’s now good opportunity for students to aspire to a high-end career and not think they have to leave the state.”

STEM learning at Blackfriars starts in our Early Learning Centre (ELC). Our specialised Upper

Primary program has boys in Years 5 and 6 utilising the facilities of our landmark Aquinas Centre, pictured, featuring state-of-the-art science laboratories.

Meanwhile, Blackfriars has also introduced an annual “Maths in Industry” event to better connect students’ learning to future career options.

The brainchild of Mathematics Curriculum Leader Sam Capurso, the inaugural event saw guest speakers from a range of industries talking with groups of students about how they used maths in their professional and personal lives.

The speakers included a PhD engineering student, an accountant and a finance broker, as well as people working in defence, mining and the State Government.

Mr Capurso said it was important students had an appreciation of the potential of their high school maths studies.

“We want our students to know why they are studying what they are studying and to be able to see where that could potentially take them in the future,” Mr Capurso said. “We look forward to continuing to introduce innovative ways to link the boys’ learning to real-life applications.”

Discover a day in the life of Blackfriars in 2023. Visit our school or co-educational Early Learning Centre on a tour this year.

Register at blackfriars.sa.edu.au/visit or contact the Registrar on 8169 3954.