HP Education Ambassador Brett Salakas poses the question: What if the next great innovation in accessible transport didn’t come from a university lab or global design firm—but from a group of teenage girls in a regional public school?
That’s exactly what happened at Dapto High School, where five young students transformed a bold idea into a 3D-printed prototype that could change how people with disabilities experience mobility. Born from a spark of empathy, fuelled by the power of design thinking, and backed by access to real-world technology, their journey is proof that young minds—when given the right support—can drive real change.
Their inspiration came during the Game Changer Challenge, the NSW Department of Education’s flagship design thinking competition. The challenge empowers students to tackle “wicked problems” that don’t have simple answers. The brief was open-ended: improve life for everyone. What followed was nothing short of remarkable.
The Horsley Heroes—a self-named team of five Year 8 girls—chose to focus on inclusion. Motivated by personal connections to people with disability, they designed a customisable car that allows wheelchair users to enter, exit, and travel—either as drivers or passengers—without ever needing to leave their chairs.
Their vision included an integrated lifting mechanism, adaptable seating layouts, and smart tracking systems that guide wheelchair users seamlessly into the vehicle. It was a solution built not just on innovation, but deep empathy. Although the team didn’t win a top prize, their idea caught the attention of HP—who saw more than just potential. They saw purpose.
HP designers worked directly with the students to refine their concept, offering hands-on training in 3D modelling and industrial design. The refined digital blueprints were sent to Singapore, where HP’s advanced Multi Jet Fusion 3D printers—typically used by companies like BMW and Boeing—produced a scaled prototype of the car chassis.
The final unveiling of the prototype brought together students, teachers, families, and representatives from both the Department of Education and HP. But the true centrepiece wasn’t the product—it was the pride on the girls’ faces as they stood beside something they’d imagined and built from the ground up.
For Mr Joel Burnett, Principal of Dapto High School, the project was a milestone in what authentic learning should look like. He said the experience has been transformational.
“The girls have been treated as genuine innovators. They’ve developed technical skills, confidence, and an understanding of how their ideas can have real-world impact. When we connect students with industry in a meaningful way, it changes lives.”
The Game Changer Challenge has long stood as a model of future-focused education. By combining classroom learning with the rigour of real-world design processes, the challenge builds students’ creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration skills—all anchored in purpose. For HP, supporting the challenge isn’t about branding—it’s about belief and showing young people that their ideas matter, and that innovation starts with empathy.
The students at Dapto gained more than a prototype. They gained a glimpse of their future—one where they’re not just consumers of technology, but creators of it. They learned to pitch ideas, adapt designs, solve problems, and communicate with professionals across multiple countries. Most importantly, they saw themselves as part of something bigger.
Importantly, this was an all-female team tackling challenges in industries still largely dominated by men—technology, STEM, and automotive design. Yet gender never became a barrier to their ambition. These young women weren’t trying to defy stereotypes—they were too busy building something that mattered. And in doing so, they’ve opened the door wider for others to follow. In many ways, the Dapto project represents what education at its best can be: empowering, inclusive, and deeply human. It’s a reminder that schools are not just places to absorb knowledge, but spaces where ideas are born, tested, and celebrated.
At a time when Australia is calling for more young women in STEM, more industry partnerships in schools, and more meaningful engagement for students—this story ticks all the boxes. But more than that, it proves something even more powerful: when we treat student ideas with seriousness, when we give them access to high-end tools and world-class mentors, they rise to the occasion.
From a classroom on the South Coast to a 3D printer across the world, five teenage girls took a problem that matters and turned it into a prototype with purpose. That’s not just a good news story. That’s the future of education.
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