REPULSE BAY - Bright young minds at Tusarvik School in Repulse Bay had the chance to show off their science and engineering prowess this past month.

Grade 5 students Alisha Nanorak, Nellie Kopak, Cassien Sanertanut and Toby Lisa Amarok, from left, display the newspaper tower that earned them top prize at Tusarvik School's SET Challenge in Repulse Bay this past month. - photo courtesy of Jennifer Perr

Students from kindergarten to Grade 12 took part in the annual Science Engineering Technology (SET) Challenge.

Teacher Jennifer Perry said this year's SET Challenge went extremely well at Tusarvik.

She said the entire event was held during one afternoon in the school gymnasium.

"The theme this year was building and construction (Sanajiit), and the kids really took to the challenge," said Perry.

"This year marked the very first time we ever held the entire SET Challenge in the school gym.

"Usually, the students build everything in their classrooms and then go to the gym for judging.

"But, this year, we decided to hold the whole process -- from the building to the judging -- in the gym, and it worked very well because the students could all see everyone else's projects being made."

Perry said she was very impressed with the projects created this year, especially by what the students came up with in kindergarten to Grade 2.

The school's younger students had to see who could make the highest tower using straws.

Perry said that was no easy task, especially for kids attending kindergarten, but the students came up with some very, very creative ideas.

"We'll probably keep the format of holding everything in the gym as we go forward from here.

"There's a time limit of 45 minutes on each project, so we could all do a countdown together, which really added to the atmosphere in the gym.

"Everybody would get nervous trying to get their project done as their time was winding down.

"Maybe not every teacher would agree with me, but I found the SET Challenge to be a lot more fun for everybody in the gym."