Junior Coding Explorers
Use ScratchJr to create a rescue story, animation, or simple game inspired by a real highway collapse emergency.
In March 2026, the Great Western Highway at Victoria Pass — the main road between Sydney and the Blue Mountains — was shut down in both directions after engineers detected severe cracking and ground collapse beneath a 194-year-old structure. It remains closed today, with no reopening date confirmed.
The 2026 RCC theme, The Highway Collapse, is not fiction. It’s the news. Your project is a response to a real problem.
How to Participate
Register
Sign up through your school or as an individual at roboticscodingchallenge.org/register-hub. You’ll get instant access to the eLearning platform.
Learn on the eLearning Platform
Complete the beginner ScratchJr lessons on the MRT eLearning platform. Learn how to add characters, create movement, and build a simple story or game.
Create Your Project
Use ScratchJr to build your rescue story, animation, or simple game. Connect your project to the Highway Collapse theme.
Record a Short Video & Submit
Record your project in action (max 3 minutes). Upload it to YouTube or Google Drive and submit the link with a short written description.
Your Mission 🎯
Create a short digital project — a story, animation, or beginner game — based on the Highway Collapse rescue theme.
Your project should include:
- Characters and scenes (for a story), or a goal and interaction (for a game)
- Movement, events, and characters connected to the rescue theme
- A clear beginning, middle, and end (for a story)
- A clear goal and at least one interaction (for a game)
Project Ideas 💡
Rescue Story
Characters guide people to safety after the highway collapses.
Emergency Alert Animation
Warning signals spread around the collapsed highway zone.
Medical Supply Delivery
A character dodges obstacles to deliver supplies to survivors.
Rescue Team Story
Ambulance, police, and rescue teams work together to help people.
Allowed Tools 🛠️
ScratchJr — iPad or Android tablet
The only tool allowed for Path A. Free to download from the App Store or Google Play.
How Your Project Is Scored 📊
Total: 100 points
Submission Requirements 📦
- A video link (YouTube or Google Drive) showing the project in action — max 3 minutes
- A short written description explaining your idea — 300+ characters
Australian Curriculum Connections 🇦🇺
Aligned with Australian Curriculum V9.0
See a Sample Project 🎬
Watch this example of a ScratchJr project to get an idea of what you can create for Path A.
💡 Your project does not need to look exactly like this — use your own ideas and creativity!
Ready to start?
Register your school or sign up as an individual to get instant eLearning access.
