A TAVISTOCK College student has wowed judges and picked up two high profile awards in a recent regional competition.

Almost 500 students from across the South West were involved in the National Science and Engineering Competition at the 2015 Big Bang South West, where design and technology student Darcy Brown received two awards during the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) event.

Darcy, 13, was selected along with five A-level students from the college to represent their product design work on a regional stage at the event hosted by 'Education Business Partnership — South West' (EBP-SW) at Exeter University.

The sixth-formers, Emily Spry, Holly Speare, Will Dax and Ryan Arnold, exhibited their A-level products, while Darcy was chosen from hundreds of other possibles to exhibit her 'Crazy Camel' game.

Crazy Camel was developed by Darcy to be an interactive toy as well as a game and assembly kit. The aim is to develop making skills and creativity while also being a fun game to play with friends. Darcy presented her product to the judges with passion, enthusiasm and business acumen.

Organisers of the event said: 'The calibre of student work in the South West is breathtaking. Our judges were overwhelmed by the quality of what they saw.'

Darcy was stunned when she heard her name read out as a winner of the 'Enterprising Young Devon Award' for the fantastic business enterprise element to her work. Soon after Darcy was announced as a regional winner of the 'Technology and Engineering Award' and had won a place at the national finals which will take place at the NEC in March, 2016.

Yvonne Paddon, partnership adviser of the EBP-SW, said after the results: 'I am absolutely delighted that the Crazy Camel won an Enterprising Young Devon award, as not only was it innovative and creative, but also excellently presented, showing before and after assembly and the research process involved.

'I am looking forward to working both with Darcy, supporting her with a local business and also with the school on a STEM enterprise day.'

Darcy said: 'I'm really excited and shocked to be given a chance to be in the National Big Bang Finals. I wasn't expecting to win anything and to win two awards was fantastic.

'It was a great day and was an experience I definitely will not forget.'

As a prizewinner, Darcy has won a local business link that will be set up by EBP-SW which will help Darcy to further develop her product. Darcy has also won a free STEM enterprise day for Tavistock College and she has decided that this will focus on Year 7.

Head of technology at the college Pete Keegan said: 'We are incredibly proud of all the students who exhibited their work this year. It was great to see such talented students being celebrated. 

'Darcy is a true asset to technology at the college and we are delighted to have her as a role model to inspire others into design and technology.'