The event sees pupils race in energy-efficient vehicles, working as a team to learn about sustainability and completing verbal presentations and practical engineering tasks. 

The school has already been able to purchase a second-hand fibreglass vehicle thanks to donations from the Sebastopol and District Lions Club and the Sebastopol Bowls Club. 

However, they still need about $5000 to get to Maryborough. 

School welfare worker Judy O’Grady said the school decided to take on the competition after working with Ballarat Christian College last year. 

“We built a few wooden billy carts, but the kids were so enthusiastic we thought we’d give this a go,” Ms O’Grady said. 

“It takes a lot of commitment.

“The kids had to put together an application to be part of the team, stating what they would contribute and what they would learn, and now they’ll have to commit to at least one night after school a week for training.”