10 December 2025
From hot dog warnings to migrating crab sweepers, these are some of the creative solutions to real world problems that have earned five schools prizes in the Minister’s Innovation Challenge for 2025.
The annual challenge tasks teams of Year 8 students from WA’s public schools to put their problem-solving skills to the test for the better of their community.
Coodanup College came first in the Minister's Innovation Challenge with the Hotdog lead.
Coodanup College’s group won this year's top prize of $15,000 for identifying and solving a common problem faced by dog owners during summer, with their innovative Hotdog Lead.
Featuring temperature-sensitive colour technology, the Hotdog Lead provides a clear visual alert to warn owners when their dogs are overheating in hot weather.
Champion Bay Senior High School’s team claimed second prize and $10,000 with a small, yet practical, solution to a community-wide problem.
They designed, prototyped and 3D printed a plastic clip that attaches to rubbish bins, allowing the lids to stay shut and preventing wind-borne litter in residential areas.
The Lakeland Senior High School team’s idea ranked third and will receive $5,000 for Quenda Quest; a fun, interactive conservation game that teaches players how to protect quendas by exploring habitats, avoiding dangers, and learning real-world conservation tips through play.
Christmas Island District High School’s team placed fourth, and won $3,000, for tackling a common problem in their local area.
The low-cost “Crab Sweeper” attachment fits onto the front of a vehicle and gently guides the Island’s red crabs off the roads without harming them, ensuring the iconic creatures can continue their journey safely.
Testing the Hotdog lead with a hair dryer.
Fifth prize and $2,000, went to the team from Denmark Senior High School, who asked the question, “How might we make fire evacuation preparation more accessible and easier for people in bushfire-prone areas, so they are safer and better prepared in the event of a bushfire?”
The result was a prototype of the Blaze Bag and an application that aims to help increase and promote Denmark's bushfire preparedness.
The full list of participating schools and challenge winners is available on the Department’s innovation challenge website.