NSW Game Changer Challenge Inspires Student Innovation & Sustainability

Last week, TOMRA Cleanaway proudly participated in the NSW Department of Education’s Game Changer Challenge Grand Final, an award-winning design thinking competition that empowers students to tackle real-world challenges through creativity and collaboration.

Each year, the Game Changer Challenge poses a wicked problem to get students thinking, innovating and creating amazing solutions.

The 2025 wicked problem posed to students was:

“Ensure sustainable futures for all.”

This theme aligns closely with United Nations Sustainable Development Goal No. 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns, and focused on three priority areas: Planet, People, and Places.

Over three days last week, 20 finalist teams from public schools across NSW gathered at the Department’s Parramatta office to refine their prototypes and present innovative solutions at the Ideas Expo. These ideas addressed sustainability in ways that could shape the future of communities and the environment.

Representing TOMRA Cleanaway, Amanda Speer, Communication & Engagement Manager – NSW, served as both an Industry Expert and Judge during the event. Amanda shared:

“It was inspiring to see the creativity and passion these students brought to solving complex sustainability challenges. Their ideas show that our future is in good hands.”

The Game Changer Challenge exemplifies how education and industry can collaborate to foster innovation and equip the next generation with the skills and knowledge to create a more sustainable world. TOMRA Cleanaway is proud to support initiatives that encourage young minds to think boldly and act responsibly for the planet.

Amanda reflected:

“Judging this year’s Game Changer Challenge was particularly difficult with a number of innovative and intriguing ideas. It was wonderful to see young women from Ryde Secondary collaborating on an idea to share trusted sustainability resources, young men from Kooringal High School in Wagga Wagga deep dive into construction and demolition waste and the opportunities for recycling which already exist and the winners from Parramatta High School exploring the importance of their local waterway to Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities alike.”

The Power of Industry Partnerships

Collaborating with the NSW Department of Education through initiatives like the Game Changer Challenge delivers immense benefits for both students and industry. For TOMRA Cleanaway, it’s an opportunity to share real-world knowledge and challenges, help students shape pitches and project plans, and stand at the front line of a new generation of world-changing “Game Changers.” These partnerships also build awareness of the tangible impact of TOMRA Cleanaway’s container deposit scheme networks, which plays a vital role in creating sustainable communities.

The solutions presented by students during the challenge were not just theoretical—they included real-world applications and funding opportunities that could make a meaningful difference for people and the planet. By engaging with these bright minds, TOMRA Cleanaway helps inspire future innovators while reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and circular economy principles.

2025 Game Changer Challenge Winners:

• Primary Champions: Fierce Future – Mount Terry Public School (https://fiercefuturemtps.my.canva.site/)

• Secondary Champions: pHixers – Parramatta High School (https://phixers.my.canva.site/phixers )

• Teamwork Award: Plastic Tacklers – South Grafton Public School (https://fiercefashionistas.my.canva.site/plastic-tacklers)

• Prototype Award: Ape-X Innovators – Kooringal High School (https://miaassessmentmodb.my.canva.site/apex-innovators-gcc-folio-25)