Rio Tinto helps celebrate state finals

School students from across the state are frantically practising their problem solving skills ready for this weekend's (October 11-12) Opti-MINDS Challenge State Finals.

More than 700 participants will take part in the finals, and will be required to solve demanding, sustainability-based challenges in categories such as science engineering.

A long-time supporter of Opti-MINDS, Rio Tinto Coal Australia, with the help of its Hail Creek Mine, revamped its sponsorship this year in a bid to encourage more schools in direct mining communities to participate in the innovative 'thinking outside the square'programme.

External Relations general manager, Fiona Nicholls, who will be a special guest at the finals, said the new sponsorship initiative boosted this year's participation by 31 per cent, the highest level in the past nine years.

"This year Rio Tinto Coal Australia covered the registration costs to enable every school in the Mackay region to participate in the Challenge," Ms Nicholls said.

Last year only 29 schools from the Mackay region participated in the Challenge and this year that number has increased to 34.

"As a major employer in the Central Queensland region, we understand the value of cooperation, collaboration, and working as a team to encourage the fostering of new ideas, skills, talents and abilities across our business," Ms Nicholls said.

"I think the most valuable aspect of Opti-MINDS is its role in promoting and rewarding 'smart thinking' among our young people and encouraging them to develop their ideas and expand their way of thinking. After all, today's youth will be the leaders of the future.

Hail Creek Mine general manager operations Andrew Woodley said as one of the country's leading resource companies, the values of cooperation, collaboration, and working as a team were recognised as essential in creating successful outcomes.

"Rio Tinto Coal Australia is a company which is proud of fostering innovation, and in our constant search for ways to improve our business, we rely heavily on the skills, abilities and innovative ideas of our employees," Mr Woodley said.

Opti-MINDS Inc Director, Fiona Meyer, said the revamped sponsorship had had a significant impact on the number of schools from the Mackay region involved in this year's Challenge.

"This year we have more than 40 children in six teams participating in the State Finals from the Mackay district," Ms Meyer said.

"Since Opti-MINDS started in the Mackay region in 1993, annual school participation has fluctuated. This year the response has improved, which is really encouraging."

"Rio Tinto Coal Australia's sponsorship has given schools in the Mackay region the chance to enter the programme, where in the past they perhaps may have not have had the opportunity."

The Opti-MINDS Challenge State Finals will be held at the University of Queensland on Saturday 11 October and Sunday October 12. Public welcome - please see http://www.opti-minds.com/ for details.

Media Enquiries:
Alison Smith
07 3361 4223 / 0438 787 038

Media release - Rio Tinto helps celebrate state finals [PDF: 21 KB]