Flinders ENIGMA Program Develops Future Innovators

Feature image: College Principal Michelle Carroll with ENIGMA students in the Podcast Station

A bespoke co-curricular program, ENIGMA, at Matthew Flinders Anglican College is enabling students to build skills and confidence through projects that drive entrepreneurship, innovation and tech awareness. 

Launched at Flinders in 2023, the program recognises that jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are growing rapidly and that research through the National Skills Commission shows there is value in reaching students from a young age to influence their long-term participation in STEM.

ENIGMA projects are developed in the College's new world-class Infinity Centre and in 2025 will include:

• developing and launching podcasts
• running the school radio show
• building a robot for the Flinders Mission to Mars where a team of students will enter the next Australian Space Design Competition, and
• developing video games, with an opportunity to enter the annual Australian STEM Video Game Challenge. 

ENIGMA is led by the College’s Head of Learning Futures, Mr Patrick Morrow, who is passionate about giving students the chance to try different STEM roles and build diverse skills.

“The students involved are excited to develop and launch a range of projects across the areas symbolised in the ENIGMA acronym: Entrepreneurship, Networking, Gamification, Mechatronics and Artificial Intelligence,” Mr Morrow said.  

“The program enables students to develop real-world skills as they step into all sorts of vital roles required for their projects to succeed, from writing application letters and applying for jobs, to writing funding proposals, designing and managing budgets, pitching ideas to supporters and investors, prototyping, 3D modeling, robotics, installing electrics and marketing.” 

Retro Arcade Machine Project Earns GISP Award

Last year, students launched a school radio station and were responsible for all aspects of the show, from the script to the music selection, interviews, editing and more. 

A student group also built a retro arcade machine from scratch, and are almost ready to launch it on campus for students and staff to enjoy. 

The project earned three Senior School students, Bethany, Joshua and Ciara, awards through the Gateway to Industry Schools Program (GISP), of which Flinders is a Partner School, and the Australian Computer Society (ACS).

Bethany, the captain of ENIGMA, led the full retro arcade machine project, which included a range of tasks, from interviewing for all positions to organising funding, weekly planning and contacting external vendors. Joshua was in charge of all wiring, game development and installation, while Ciara developed the artwork, which includes a stylish vinyl wrap around the retro arcade machine. 
 

L-R: ENIGMA students awarded the GISP recognition, Ciara, Joshua and Bethany

2025 Australian STEM Video Game Challenge

This year, ENIGMA students are preparing to enter the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge, which aims to engage students in STEM subjects and enable them to develop real-world skills to empower more students to choose STEM careers.

A group of 10 ENIGMA students are mid-way through designing a video game to help teach Japanese to Year 7 students, working on various aspects, such as artwork, music composition, sound effects, coding and creating puzzle ideas for an escape-room-style game. 

The students have developed their projects using skills and ideas shared by Stefan Perrson, an IT security architect and game developer with a YouTube following who visited the College to present a Blender workshop in Term 4 last year. 

Year 7 students will also learn through the ENIGMA program in Term 2 to develop the next generation of developers.

The College's annual Game Jam will be held in Term 4 where students are challenged to create a game over two days.

To learn more about the ENIGMA radio station project, visit here.
 

Flinders Head of Learning Futures, Mr Patrick Morrow, with students in the Infinity Centre Digi Lab