Robert Johnston
Senior Teacher Student Development, Cookstown High School
How one school's competition success continues to open doors
From building a solar-powered weather station to developing an award-winning app, students at Cookstown High School have achieved remarkable things through The Big Bang Competition. Teacher Robert Johnston shares how the experience has opened doors to careers, built confidence and inspired former winners to mentor the next generation.
In 2015, I started working with a group of students on a project that would eventually see them win at The Big Bang Competition. Almost 10 years later, they're building successful careers, and a new generation of students is following in their footsteps.
It all started with a Raspberry Pi computer and an idea to build a weather station on Slieve Gallion mountain in Northern Ireland. The students soon discovered that keeping the weather station powered was a challenge. First, they decided to build their own solar panel, with advice from a student at Queen's University Belfast. When that stopped working during the winter, they set about designing a wind turbine. They experimented with 3D-printed models, tested different designs and eventually secured support from engineering company CDE Global to develop their project.
As a teacher, I love it when students ask questions. I might not always know the answer, but I believe my role is to help them find the people and resources that can.
After 2 years of hard work, the students won the BAE Systems Inspired Work Prize at The Big Bang Competition in 2017. But the real achievement was everything they learned along the way. They developed skills in teamwork, resilience, creativity and problem solving. They approached businesses for support, presented their ideas and learned how to overcome setbacks when things didn't work.
Almost 10 years later, those students still have The Big Bang Competition on their CVs.
One is now a DataOps engineer, another is a marine civil engineering apprentice. A third used the experience to help secure a place on Queen's University's Global Leadership Programme and now works in international partnerships.
A new generation of innovators
In 2026, Cookstown High School celebrated another success at The Big Bang Competition. Two students, Daniel and Luke, developed an app called TrailTalk during our after-school coding club. Their idea was to help travellers find experiences based on how they wanted to feel, using AI, voice input and GPS technology.
When they approached a former student for £300 to help develop the app, he initially turned them down because he couldn't see how it would work. But Daniel and Luke didn't give up. They created a prototype, recorded a video demonstrating their idea and sent it back to him. His response was simple: "Can you send me your bank details?"
The pair went on to win the UK Young Technologists of the Year award, supported by Siemens, at The Big Bang Competition.
What makes me particularly proud is what they've done since. They used some of their prize money to establish a new Digital Innovation Award at Cookstown High School, recognising achievement in digital technology. They're also joining me as mentors for our next group of students, sharing what they've learned and helping others develop their own ideas.
Opening doors to new opportunities
For me, The Big Bang Competition is about much more than winning prizes. It gives students opportunities to develop their skills, build confidence and discover careers they might never otherwise have considered.
At The Big Bang Fair, Daniel and Luke met volunteers from Rolls-Royce who worked in nuclear engineering and submarines. It opened their eyes to a whole range of possibilities they hadn't previously associated with the company.
After their success in The Competition, Siemens invited Daniel and Luke – and their whole class – for a site visit in Dublin. Our previous winners also had the opportunity to visit BAE Systems to see the Eurofighter Typhoon being made. For students from a school in a rural area, these opportunities are particularly valuable.
At The Big Bang Fair, industry professionals don't treat our students simply as teenagers. They listen to their ideas, ask thoughtful questions and treat them as young innovators and designers. That experience can be incredibly powerful.
I've seen students grow in confidence, develop skills that employers value and discover opportunities they didn't know existed. And now, seeing former winners return to mentor younger students, I can see that impact continuing.
That's why I believe The Big Bang Competition is so important. It gives young people something to aspire to, a national stage on which to showcase their talents and the confidence to believe their ideas are worth pursuing. For my students, it's never been just about The Competition. It's about where the experience can take them next.
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