The 2025 Game Changer Challenge is underway, with teams from NSW public schools asked to solve the wicked problem: ‘Ensure sustainable futures for all’ while focusing on planet, people and places.

Excitement for this year’s challenge is already building at Pacific Palms School, the defending primary champions, with teacher Ebony Struwe insisting last year’s win was simply the icing on the cake.

“The learning and experiences gained are so worthwhile, it really is something special to be a part of,” Mrs Struwe said.

“Their passion for making their world a better place grew and was contagious, and this is exactly the sort of energy we need for the future.

“It really wasn’t about winning; it was everything else that was gained.”

This year, the NSW Department of Education’s award-winning, design thinking challenge has changed its structure to allow more students to follow a complete design thinking journey.

Stage one requires each team to develop an online design portfolio, showcasing their research on the wicked problem and issues identified in their local community.

Then, all teams, who submit a design portfolio for stage one, automatically progresses to the design sprint in stage two.

In stage two, teams must produce a video and continue to develop their online design portfolio. Together, this becomes the team’s pitch to attend the grand final.

The top 20 teams progress to the three-day grand final in Parramatta, where they get to prototype, talk to industry experts and pitch their idea to judges. 

Kooringal High School’s Funky Monkeys won the Prototype Award last year after embracing the grand final experience.

“The opportunity to pitch their prototype to industry personnel and professionals at state level in a 'market stall' exhibition allowed the team to sell its product to 'customers' and that truly did mirror reality,” teacher Kate Livio said.

“We are looking forward to building on what we have learned for 2025.”

The two key elements of the Game Changer Challenge are ‘design thinking’ and the ‘wicked problem’.

A wicked problem is a social or cultural problem that’s difficult to solve because of its complex and interconnected nature.

Design thinking methodology is a human-centred approach to solving complex problems and focuses on empathy and collaboration.

With design central to the entire process, the Department of Education is pleased to announce that Australian-developed graphic design app Canva is the Principal Design Partner for the 2025 Game Changer Challenge.

For more information on this year’s Game Changer Challenge head to our website page.