Model-making pupils race abroad

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Students from a school in Fife are preparing to represent Scotland in a global Formula One competition.

A team of youngsters will travel to Malaysia to race miniature cars which they have designed and built in the workshops at Lochgelly High School.

Computer-controlled machines are used to create the wooden models, which are powered using high-pressure gas cartridges inserted in the back.

The four girls and two boys are part of the school's young engineers club.

Getting ready

As well as taking part in the races, the youngsters have to make a presentation explaining the science behind their design.

They have also been responsible for generating funding and sponsorship. They now need to raise about £10,000 to compete in Malaysia.

The pupils have spent weeks at after-school clubs getting their designs right in preparation for the race in March.

Stephanie Shaw is one of the four girls heading to Malaysia

Student Stephanie Shaw said: "It's got to be as light as possible, extremely aerodynamic, have a good finish, good wheels.

"Just be as fast as you can."

The school's young engineers club has grown in popularity since it was set up by teacher Scott Hunter in 2004.

He told the BBC Scotland news website: "It's become our job as teachers to become more facilitators, to actually help the kids get the stuff they tell us they're needing.

"They're driving the programme themselves and it's having a real buzz throughout the school."

Practical learning

Schools from 26 different countries will take part in the F1 Technology Challenge in Malaysia in March.

Teams from Lochgelly have already won about 30 national and international engineering competitions.

School Rector Campbell Wood said: "Practical learning is something which enthuses pupils. They like to get their hands dirty, they like to be working on something which has a real life application.

"Although the Formula One cars in some sense is quite a narrow field of interest, the skills that they are learning in terms of engineering, publicity, working with other people are certainly things which are transferable."