Girls in Tech Expo 2026: Discovering Possibility
Girls in Tech Expo brings energy, curiosity and purposeful learning to every Year 5 and 6 girl who attends. Held on Thursday 26 February, our signature Junior School STEM initiative welcomed students from across Adelaide for a day designed to expand how they see themselves in STEM — at a stage when curiosity is high, ideas are bold, and new possibilities are beginning to take shape.
From the moment schools arrived, the sense of excitement was unmistakable. Outside the Arts Centre, Alpha the robotic dog both greeted and entertained our visitors, quickly becoming a crowd favourite. For many girls it was their first encounter with advanced robotics, and it set the tone for a day grounded in discovery. Across workshops and within our Innovation Hub, students engaged with mentors working across Cybersecurity and Digital Safety, University Pathways and Research, Innovation and AI, and Industry and Entrepreneurship.
The Expo opened with keynote speaker Associate Professor Melissa Humphries from the University of Adelaide — only the fourth woman in the University’s 150-year history to be appointed Associate Professor in Mathematics. A creative mathematician working in fields such as explainable AI, she challenged the girls to think expansively and to trust their intellectual instincts, reminding them that their curiosity, ideas and abilities already belong in these spaces.
Across the School, learning quickly became hands-on and immersive. Girls tackled cybersecurity challenges, built and programmed robotics, explored engineering design, analysed GIS mapping data and stepped into virtual simulations. There was focus. There was genuine enthusiasm. And there were those satisfying moments when something suddenly worked or a difficult concept clicked into place. The joy came not from ease, but from being stretched by complex ideas and solving problems together. Just as powerful was seeing girls from different schools connect so naturally sharing ideas, encouraging one another and collaborating with a real sense of camaraderie.
The Innovation Hub added another layer of exploration. Girls moved confidently between exhibitors, gravitating towards areas that sparked their curiosity from e-sports and interactive technologies to the outdoor robotic mower demonstration. In the Future Me – Big Sister STEM Mentor zone, conversations deepened as students spoke with entrepreneurs, researchers and cybersecurity specialists. Seeing and speaking with women working across these fields reinforced something powerful: you cannot be what you cannot see. Pathways suddenly felt clearer. Careers felt more human. STEM revealed itself as creative, collaborative and full of possibility.
Our APEX leaders were exceptional throughout the day. Their warmth, responsibility and genuine care for visiting schools represented St Peter’s Girls’ School to the highest standard. Our Year 5 and 6 students also welcomed their peers with maturity and confidence, modelling the curiosity, kindness and collaborative mindset the Expo seeks to nurture.
Girls in Tech Expo does more than showcase technology. It builds belief and for many of the girls who attended, it quietly shifted the way they see themselves and their place in the future of STEM.
We thank the following organisations for hosting workshops or booths in our Innovation Hub on Thursday 26 February – Girls in Tech Expo 8th annual event
Schools: Burnside Primary, East Marden Primary, Marryatville Primary, St Andrew’s, St Raphael’s Primary, Stradbroke, Trinity College and Year 5 and 6 girls at St Peter’s Girls’ School.
Organisations: Adelaide University, AI Camp, Australian Information Security Association (AISA), BAE Systems Australia, Civil Engineering & Construction Management at AU, Creart Digital Media, De Stefano & Co, Flinders University, Grok Academy, JB Hi-Fi Education, KIK Innovation, Maker Space, Mindflight-7, MyEmpire Group, Oz Grav and Dark Matter Centre, Reality Bytes Media, Robotic Lawn Mower SA, Saab, STEM Punks Education, SPGS APEX Drone, E-Sports, Photography, Saints TV and Leaders, TeachTEK, The Logic Lab, ThincLab and Young Engineers
Melissa Lee
STEM Innovation Leader
Humanoid Robot Visits Year 5 Students
This term, Tom Zhang (Alex’s Dad in 5OCO) visited students in Years 6 and 6, and he showed us a robot that he had been working on with his company, which is called, Booster Robotics.
We were fortunate to see a robot that the company has been working on recently. They hope for it to play against human soccer players in the future. It has also won the World Robotics Soccer Cup. They used a special method of training the robot called ‘machine learning’, where it simulates it in a virtual world millions of times, so it learns it lots of times in a second.
It was a bit shorter than the average height of a child, with 4 cameras for eyes that gave it the best depth perception. The way he gave it commands was through a small tablet that had all the code inputted in it. The person controlling it would press a button, and it would try to kick a soccer ball. It would keep on trying until the person controlling it pressed the stop button on the tablet.
A couple of the things it can do are the Michael Jackson dance, it can kick a ball well and track it, and it can stand up from its stomach or its back. The company is inputting new modules to allow it to do things like a backflip, a front flip, and do karate.
Tom talked to us about neurons in the brain and showed us a picture of human brain neurons, a robot’s central wiring, and a nuclear explosion and surprisingly, they looked quite similar. Overall, it was an amazing experience, and I am so glad we got to have it.
Sadie Marks
5SHA
A World of Wonderful Patterns
We have been exploring patterns in Reception maths. The girls have noticed that patterns are everywhere! There are repeating patterns that can be linear, but patterns can also be cyclic like the days of the week or seasons.
The girls have been identifying the ‘unit of repeat’ and how many terms can be found in a linear pattern. They have found out that patterns can be made with shape, size, colour, number, sound and movement!
We celebrated our learning with a Pattern Party, complete with patterned party hats and lots of hand-on, open-ended ways to identify, explore, continue and create patterns.
Kat Clark and Michelle Liddy
Reception Teachers
Online Language of Friendship Workshop
In Week 9, Junior School parents and students are invited to attend an ONLINE Language of Friendship Workshop. It will take place on Wednesday 25 March at 6pm. Tyson Greenwood, Director of URSTRONG Schools (named one of Australia’s Most Influential Educators!), will teach you and your children skills and language to foster healthy, feel-good friendships. Zoom details have been sent to your email address.
You’re Invited – Year 5 Family Bowling Night
Get ready to roll into an evening of fun, connection and friendly competition! Year 5 families are warmly invited to our Year 5 Family Bowling Night, a special event designed to bring our community together for a night of strikes, spares and smiles.
Join us on Friday 27 March, from 6.00–9.00pm at Kingpin Norwood for an exciting evening of fun and connection off campus. This will be a wonderful opportunity for new Year 5 families to meet and connect, while all families enjoy a relaxed and light-hearted night together.
Tickets are $50 per person and include a drink card, bowling, activities, and delicious food. All parents and students attending are required to purchase a ticket and join in the activities, helping to create a shared and inclusive experience for everyone.
Whether you’re aiming for a strike or just happy to be in the right lane, this promises to be a night that’s right up your alley.
Please ensure you book by Friday 20 March!
We look forward to seeing Year 5 families there for a night that’s sure to be a hit.
Reception Easter Activity
Reception students and their families are warmly invited to join us for a special Easter celebration alongside our ELC Pathway children to be held on the last day of Term 1, Thursday 2 April 2026.
This is a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families in our community. Please refer to your invitation for more information.
Please register for catering purposes.
We look forward to sharing this special occasion with you.