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Chamber and committees

Congratulating The Waid Academy on Reaching the HRUC National Innovation Challenge Final

  • Submitted by: Stephen Kerr, Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 16 June 2026
  • Motion type: Standard Motion
  • Motion reference: S7M-00381

That the Parliament congratulates the talented students from The Waid Academy in Anstruther on securing a place in the final of the HRUC National Innovation Challenge, where they will compete against three other schools; understands that this is the second consecutive year that the school has reached the national final and is the only school in Scotland to achieve this impressive milestone; notes that the competition inspires young people to champion sustainability by developing innovative solutions to real-world global challenges, with entries judged on innovation, features and benefits, overall impact and future potential; commends the exceptional drive of the school; applauds finalists Anneliese Uringa and Arran Ogilvie for their visionary project, Synthetic Tree, which aims to combat climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and breaking it down into valuable by-products such as graphite and diamonds; notes that the winning team will earn an educational trip to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Boston in September 2026; wishes Anneliese, Arran and everyone at school the very best of luck ahead of the final, and celebrates them as a shining example of Scottish youth innovation.


Supported by: Colin Beattie, Miles Briggs, Alexander Burnett, Russell Findlay, Murdo Fraser, Meghan Gallacher, Alex Kerr, Douglas Lumsden, Julie MacDougall, Paul Sweeney