Mission to Mars: A journey of discovery at Greetland Academy

In June last year, I had the enormous pleasure – both personally and in my role as a STEM Ambassador – of joining the award-winning Greetland Academy Halifax Mission to Mars. The programme brought together 60 young students to plan a journey and living on Mars, ultimately winning first place at the Yorkshire STEMFest 2024 Out-Of-This-World Space Competition.

From the very beginning, during our initial brainstorming sessions, I was struck by the enthusiasm and eagerness to learn amongst the young mission experts and their teams. Throughout the various phrases of the project – information gathering, design and implementation – I witnessed remarkable curiosity and determination among the students as they delved into the technical aspects of the mission.

Each visit to the school became a highlight in my calendar. Every time I returned, new designs, new questions, and new creative breakthroughs were waiting. The final outputs made for an impressive and interesting display and led to winning first place.

Choosing the mission

The choice of Mission to Mars was the first step in the process, and I was pleased to be able to be part of that decision with the leadership team. Selecting this particular mission gave a wide scope to explore the full range of STEM capabilities.

Being a real mission meant there was access to a lot of online material as well as experts with first-hand knowledge, such as the team at Space Hub Yorkshire with whom we collaborated on ideas. It may also one day be a mission that these young people play a part in, and I hope this competition may leave a lasting legacy for the school.

Building the teams

Organising 60 youngsters into focussed teams with individual objectives was a challenge, but the approach worked brilliantly. The project divided into clear groups with specific areas of responsibility, and those groups were encouraged to share their findings, ideas, and questions with each other.

This cross fertilisation of ideas improved mission success through internal collaboration and support – systems engineering at its very best. Many real-world projects I have been involved in could learn a lesson from this.

Understanding the realities of projects

One aspect that really stood out was hearing the students discuss value for money. Space missions, and large engineering projects, often involve substantial investment, and the students recognised the need to make thoughtful choices when planning and building their ideas. This awareness of cost, efficiency, and trade-offs showed maturity far beyond their years.

When Greetland Academy discovered they could submit two entries to the competition, the teams demonstrated remarkable adaptability. They reorganised themselves quickly, took on new roles, and embraced the additional challenge with confidence. This ability to adjust and respond to new circumstances is a skill that will serve them well in future careers and life more generally.

A journey with lasting impact

Receiving regular mission updates and offering small pieces of guidance along the way was something I genuinely enjoyed. But most of all, I appreciated the students’ genuine interest and commitment to the project. Their enthusiasm was uplifting and a powerful reminder of the impact that STEM education can have.

"We have been extremely lucky to work alongside Steve Denniss as part of a STEM Science project through 2024 and into 2025. Steve’s knowledge and expertise were crucial in helping our pupils not only learn about STEM, but develop knowledge, teamwork skills, research skills and presentation skills.

As our ambassador expert Steve took the time to come into school to meet all the children, share his love of Science and STEM and help and support pupils to independently develop their research skills. Steve often came into school extra to what was required of him in this role to be able to further support the children and really show them the dedication and love of STEM and Science he has.

On the day of the competition Steve was around to provide the children with reassurances and praise and they were so pleased he had taken the time to come and support them, something which many other ambassadors did not. This truly shows he is always willingto go above and beyond.

As a school we are very lucky to have Steve as a contact and now a firm friend of our school and although the project is completed Steve is still willing to come into our school and share his knowledge with our children, being a vital part of our careers week in early 2025."

Charlotte Wild, Year 6 Teacher at Greetland Academy

Being part of Greetland Academy’s Mission to Mars was far more than a school project for me. It reinforced why being a STEM ambassador matters and how capable young people can be when given the opportunity to explore big ideas.

It was a privilege to accompany these young innovators on their Mission to Mars – and I can’t wait to see where their ambitions take them next. Who knows - perhaps we'll see some of them making history in space one day!