A five-learner team from Reddford House The Hills has won first place in the 12–13 age category of Inspired Builds with their “GCR3000” — a claw-armed robot that moves around, picks up litter and drops it neatly into a bin.
Inspired Builds is a global inter-school technology challenge in which students design, build and code solutions to everyday problems, with entries judged on creativity, functionality and real-world relevance across age-group categories. This year, participation spanned 111 schools in 24 counties across five continents.
The Grade 7 team — Vihaan Pretorious, Tlhalefo Ramutloa, Tumi Moteane, Sazi Kapa and Lwazi Nhlapo — chose land pollution as their problem to solve, pointing to its impact on their school environment and the wider community. An early misstep saw them build the robot incorrectly; they rebuilt from scratch, an experience they say taught them patience and perseverance.
Explaining how the GCR3000 works, the learners describe a movable claw that grips and lifts pieces of rubbish before depositing them into a bin — a deliberately simple, functional mechanism aimed at keeping spaces clean. Team roles ranged from coding and building to testing and presenting, with guidance from robotics teacher Brandon Frohling and support from fellow learner Jason Annor.
“This project showed amazing innovation and reflected an aspect the learners encounter every day. The word I would use is ‘resilient’,” says robotics teacher Brandon Frohling.
Head of school Grant Ferreira says the result speaks to Reddford House The Hills’ wider culture. “Winning the international robotics competition is a powerful reflection of our school’s thriving STEM culture. It highlights our students’ ability to think critically, innovate creatively and collaborate effectively. This achievement shows how our commitment to hands-on learning and problem-solving prepares students not only to excel in competitions but also to embrace the challenges of the future with confidence.”
For the learners, the recognition is a proud moment — and a springboard for what comes next: they’d love to build a drone.
