From Frustration to 1st Place: A STEM Project Journey at Brighton Gate Academy

Prologue

I didn’t plan to be this deep in a student STEM challenge. What started off as a simple instruction to supervise a student group slowly turned into a lot of brainstorming, rejection, reshuffling, and unexpected breakthroughs. At one point, I questioned whether it was even worth it.
having been employed on a part-time basis to teach Computer Studies at Brighton Gate Academy, my usual routine involved preparing lesson notes, going to class to teach, setting test questions, grading, and uploading results to the server.
But looking back now — with a first-place win and a confident student team preparing for finals — I’m grateful for every part of the process.

The Rough Start

Our journey didn’t begin with bright ideas — it began with uncertainty. The first proposal I developed with the students, a low-cost fire alert system called BrightonGuard, was quickly discarded by the school management. They felt the idea was too common. It didn’t matter that it was simple, feasible, and directly relevant to our local environment — the keyword “fire alarm” alone made it feel unoriginal in their eyes.
Then We moved on...

Mr. Daniel Onu (MSc.) came up with a hydro-powered fan. Again, it sounded innovative at first, soon we realized it required pressured water without an external energy source, which made it technically unrealistic at our level. This was after we’ve written the script ohhh, designed the flow, and prepped for presentation, only to be told again that the idea was too ambitious.

At some point, it began to feel like we were chasing wind. As a facilitator, it’s hard to keep motivation high when every idea gets shut down from above.

The Breakthrough

After several rejections, a simple suggestion from Mrs. Okukwe, the Chemistry teacher changed our direction: coconut oil.

Not just any coconut oil — a concentrated extract packed with nutrients, and natural benefits. It could be used on skin, hair, or even taken in drops. Better still, it could serve as a base for other cosmetic products.

That idea became Gatemetics concentrates— a natural, concentrate processed using basic chemistry steps. It was affordable, relevant, and fully executable in our school lab.

It wasn’t the loudest idea, but it made the most sense.

What Did We do Differently?

This time, we kept it simple — and intentional. We focused on a clear structure, and stayed close to what we could actually produce within the school. We applied real chemistry, gave the students full involvement, and aligned everything with SMART goals. No exaggerations. Just a practical idea, clean presentation, and confident delivery.

The Outcome

Nine of our students left for the tournament accompanied by two other teachers. We emerged 1st position in our group with a total of 75% from the judges.

An elite school Cita International school was sent home. It wasn’t because our idea was the most technical — it was because it was real, relatable, and ready. The judges saw something they could believe in, and that made the difference. Now, we prepare for the finals.

Lessons Learned

• Simple doesn’t mean weak — if it’s relevant, it works.

• Rejection is part of the process, not the end of it.

• Student-led ideas shine brightest when they feel connected to real life.

• As the HOS, Pst. Dan , rightly emphasized — 21st-century learning must prioritize communication, collaboration, and critical thinking among the students. These values were clearly reflected in how our students engaged with the project.

Conclusion

This journey wasn’t smooth, but it was worth every twist. Gatemetics didn’t win just because it was smart. It won because it was purposeful, and ours.

And as we head into the finals, we go with more than just a product — we go with the confidence that real learning happens when relevance meets resilience.