STUDENTS from schools in Hamp-shire and on the Isle of Wight have been selected for the final qualifying stage of a prestigious design and technology competition in Southamp-ton this Thursday.

Southampton Audi in Bournemouth Road, Chandler's Ford, is hosting a semi-final event in the nationwide competition.

Students from the following schools have qualified for the Southampton Audi semi-final: Hardley School & Sixth Form, Holbury: Clarice Thorne, 13; Kirsty Evans, 13 / Emmileen Fisk, 13 / Beki Noon, 13; Beth Scourfield, 13 / Emily Fors-bery, 13 / Rachel Ingamells, 13 / Beth Whitlock, 12.

Solent Middle School, Cowes.

Hannah Carter, 10; Jake Hayward, 10; Sabrina Wooldridge, 10; Jessica Hennessy, 10.

St Anne's Convent RC Girls School, Southampton: Taylor Sheppard, 14 / Gemma Burley, 13 / Laura Beegan, 13 / Wendy Orchard, 14; Hannah Wilson, 13 / Jayne Stephens, 13 / Sylvia Warren, 14; Lucy Payne, 14 / Rachael Foo, 14 / Natasha Gharamanizadi, 13 / Sarah Beckerleg, 14; Amy Clements, 13 / Jenny Groves, 14 / Harriet Collins, 13 / Fabhian Camp, 13; Emily Boardman, 14 / Katie Hughes, 14 / Ulfat Choudhury, 13 / Bethany Jefferson, 14; Susannah Olive, 13 / Emma Leedham, 13 / Alice Owen, 14 / Jezreel Lim, 14; Kirsty Murphy, 14 / Roisin Edwards-Fowler, 14 / Fiona Slugochi, 14 / Katherine Bent, 13; Molly Brown, 14 / Hannah Cruse, 14 / Catherine Jones, 14 / Harriet Lea-Banks, 14; Rachael Saunders, 14 / Sophie Sachrajda, 13 / Sarah Keogh, 14 / Hannah Braithwaite, 14; Rachael Guyer, 14 / Sophie Sayer, 14 / Rebecca Fox, 14 / Eleanor Pilgrim, 14; Bethany Tull, 14 / Tina Fitzgerald, 14 / Rachel Davies, 13 / Laura Vella, 13; Chloe Burton, 14 / Elly Knott, 13 / Gill Lancashire, 13; Naomi Branfoot, 14 / Ellen O'Neill, 14 / Emma Leighio, 14 / Sophia Urwin, 13; Charlotte Findlay, 14 / Lea Hendriksson, 13 / Anna Hodson, 13 / Hayley Snow, 14; Naomi Leppitt, 14 / Lisa Mifsud, 14 / Raksha Sharma, 14 / Elaine Vanstone, 14; Nafeece Khan, 13 / Simone St Moores, 13 / Nagina Anwar, 14 / Roushanak Hassanzadeh, 14; Yanghyeon Park, 14 / Bealinda Griffin, 14 / Jessica Hyland, 14 / Alison Liu, 13; Bernadette Coombs, 14 / Joanna Gerrard, 14 / Gemma Thomson, 14 / Madeline Gregory, 14; Laura Quick, 13 / Angeneh Aghajani, 13 / Claire Palmer, 13 / Danielle Pratt, 13 Initial nationwide entries were judged with 600 children from across the UK qualifying for one of 25 semi-final events held this month.

More than 4,000 students, representing almost 250 schools, entered the nationwide competition.

The students attending the Southampton Audi semi-final will display their designs which will be judged by local designers and business leaders including Daily Echo motoring correspondent Glynn Williams. The winning school wins £200 to spend on materials for its Design & Technology department while the winning student collects £50 of W H Smith vouchers.

Importantly, the Southampton Audi winner and the other 24 semi-final winners, also qualify for the national final later this year.

The national winner's school receives £2,000 to spend on D&T materials while the student receives a laptop and design software, or cash equivalent of £1,000 if it is a winning group.

Two runners-up each win £250 worth of WH Smith vouchers.

The winner's teacher receives £1,000 towards an inspirational experience, such as a trip to Japan.

Audi Design Foundation commissioned a panel of teachers from England, Wales and Scotland to devise six challenges for students to overcome.

They presented exciting, motivating challenges to students:

  • designing a product that could change the way you live your life
  • a new device for playing music
  • a craft that can travel at extreme speed
  • a device that helps solve environmental problems
  • an outfit for the 2012 Olympics British athletics team
  • design a healthy snack that reflects the personality of your hero.