AGGREGATE & QUARRY ASSOCIATION

Rock our Future Competition

ROCK OUR FUTURE COMPETITION 2023

The brief

This year’s brief was for students to show three everyday uses of aggregate along with an explanation. They were encouraged to visit a local quarry and design a poster.

The winners

Schools from Northland to Otago were among the winners in the AQA’s Rock our Future school competition for years 5-8 in 2023. The Year 5 winner was Odin Apiata from Ohaeawai Primary School, Northland, and the Year 6 winner was Ally Aikten from Mornington School, Dunedin.

Year 5 winner Odin Apiata                                 Year 6 winner Ally Aitken receiving her award in assembly

The Year 7 winner was Ana Kaufana from Oamaru Intermediate, and the Year 8 winner was Anika Beren from Springbank School in Northland.

Oamaru Intermediate at North Otago Road Metals quarry                                 Year 8 winner, Anika Beren with her poster

You can read an article on this year’s competition here.

PAST WINNERS:

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2022 Competition

The Brief: Students were encouraged to visit a local quarry and design a poster of an activity at the quarry, why the quarry is needed, and the benefits the quarry provides to the community.

THE WINNERS

Year 5 & 6 winners below from Owairoa Primary School, Auckland

Year 7 & 8 winners below from Lee Stream School, Otago:

Read all about their entries here.

2021 Competition

The brief was: Students were encouraged to visit a local quarry and write an essay of no more than 500 words describing their experience at the quarry and what they learnt during the visit.

THE WINNERS

Year 5 & 6 winners were from Puni School, Auckland, and a Year 8 winner from Oamaru Intermediate. There were no Year 7 entries this year.

Read all about their entries here.

2020 Competition

Students were to design a final use for a quarry that has finished extracting rock.

The brief was: You have been hired by a quarrying company called Big Rock Solutions. The company has completed extracting rock from its quarry and now wants to turn the quarry into an asset for the community. They want the land to be useful, and whatever it is turned into to be sustainable, environmentally sensitive and add value to the local community. Neighbours and others in the community need to be considered in whatever final use is designed for the site.

THE WINNERS

Two schools from the Waikato and Manawatū took away the prizes.

Read all about their entries here.

2019 Competition

The brief was: students had been hired by a quarrying company currently exploring the problem of what to do when energy produced by diesel and coal (both non-sustainable energy sources) runs out. The students were to design a solution for the production of aggregate, including crushing plant, and mobile vehicles such as loaders, excavators etc. for the 21st Century.

THE WINNERS

Two groups of boys from Fitzroy School in New Plymouth have taken out the prizes and were awarded by CEO Wayne Scott and MP Jonathan Young on Friday Oct 25th.

Read all about their entries here.

AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS

ABOUT QUARRYING IN NEW ZEALAND

USING AGGREGATE

Aggregates are the most consumed bulk product in the world after water. New Zealand uses 9-10 tonnes of aggregate every year for each adult and child.

BUILDING NZ

To build an average house, you need about 250 tonnes of aggregate - for use in concrete, asphalt, mortar and building products.

OUR COMMUNITY

The quarry industry is committed to working alongside local communities and follows stringent planning, environmental and operating conditions.