Olympic gold medallists support STEMCrew schools' roadshows
Image courtesy Cobham-Ultra / 1851 Trust / Athena Pathway
Through its programme STEMCrew, the 1851 Trust uses athletes and professional sports to inspire youth through STEM and climate learning.
On Monday, September 16th, 120 students aged 11-14 from schools in south west London (Teddington School, Tolworth Girls’ School, Orleans Park School, Lady Eleanor Holles School) participated in the latest roadshow event at Lady Eleanor Holles School. The roadshow leverages professional sailing’s real-world context and inspiration to engage students in STEM and showcases diverse career opportunities. Joining the students were Athena Pathway women’s team principal and double Olympic gold medallist Hannah Mills OBE, and Athena Pathway women’s team member Paris Olympic kite surfing gold medallist Ellie Aldridge.
Partnering with Cobham-Ultra, two of the world’s leading innovators in aerospace and marine technology, which together employ over 600 engineers in the UK, has enabled the STEMCrew roadshows programme. This partnership is a natural fit, reflecting a shared commitment to innovation and excellence with Athena Pathway entering teams with the aim to win the inaugural Puig Women’s America’s Cup and retain the UniCredit Youth’s America’s Cup for Great Britain in Barcelona this Autumn.
The free sessions focused on empowering youth to make informed career decisions, challenge STEM stereotypes, and boost participation, confidence, and contribution in classes. Developed by 1851 Trust’s expert teaching team with feedback from Athena Pathway’s sailors and Cobham-Ultra engineers, the key stage 3 curriculum included interactive sessions on coding, optimising physical performance, and understanding force and drag. Students were invited into the world of the America’s Cup, where teams compete on foiling boats at speeds over 100kph, making it the world’s most technologically advanced sailing competition.
Physics lessons came alive as students designed the most aerodynamic boat, testing each design in a state-of-the-art wind tunnel. Technology’s importance was highlighted through Sphero balls, with coding skills required to navigate the America’s Cup course in Barcelona. Students particularly enjoyed an inspiring session on STEM careers, which featured personal journeys of Britain’s Youth and Women’s America’s Cup team members, demonstrating where STEM education can lead in sports.
For the last decade, the 1851 Trust has delivered free STEM and climate education resources and roadshows for eight to 16 year olds across the UK. Over 40% of UK secondary schools utilise the award-winning resources through their digital education platforms STEM Crew (www.stemcrew.org) and Protect Our Future (protectourfuture.org).
Shonnel Malani, Chairman of the Board of Cobham and Ultra Electronics, stated: “Our collaboration with Athena Pathway and 1851 Trust on the roadshow programme has been driven by the aim of using the wonders of sailing to bring STEM education into the classroom, and it was great to see this in-person at the London event today. Through our sport-led activities, we hope to spark curiosity and enthusiasm among 11–14-year-olds across our UK-based roadshows, which is inspired by the real-life experiences of the Women’s America’s Cup and Youth America’s Cup.
This partnership builds on our £5 million pledge to leading higher education institutions, which allows the opportunity for students from underrepresented groups to pursue an education in engineering. This announcement is focused on inspiring the next generation to consider studies and a career in STEM-related fields, as we ultimately look to help the UK build the skilled workforce of the future.”
Hannah Mills, Athena Pathway co-founder, Team Principal and Helm, stated: “Everyone in the team is passionate about supporting the next ¬generation, across multiple fields. Our partnership with Cobham Ultra will showcase the science and engineering that goes into this sport, and the breadth of opportunities for STEM careers available to young people that we hope will inspire the scientists and engineers of tomorrow.”
Jo Grindley, 1851 Trust CEO, said: “Our education roadshows deliver positive, long-term impacts on the education and careers aspirations of young people inspired by STEM. We want to engage the next generation of innovators through free interactive, curriculum-linked workshops that illustrate the links between sport and the world science, technology and engineering and the opportunities within STEM and Green skills careers.”
Athena Pathway is a new U.K. programme for female and youth athletes, led by double Olympic Gold Medallist Hannah Mills (OBE). The pathway aims to fast-track development in professional sailing, level the playing field in high-performance foiling and bring diversity into the sport at its highest level, both on and off the water.
Cobham-Ultra brings together Cobham and Ultra Electronics, which are UK-headquartered global engineering specialists in aerospace, maritime and communication technologies. With a rich history of pioneering advancements underpinned by a commitment to environmental sustainability within its engineering processes, Cobham and Ultra are renowned for their ability to transcend conventional technological limits, designing and manufacturing sophisticated hardware solutions aimed at improving connectivity, ensuring safety and elevating performance standards in the world’s most demanding settings.
Founded by Sir Ben Ainslie in 2014, with HRH The Princess of Wales as its Royal Patron, the 1851 Trust is a specialist education charity committed to harnessing the power of athletes and elite sport to inspire young people globally through STEM learning and climate action.
