Youngsters still have time to submit their science projects - from school or any after-school club - for a prize in the Bright Spark Awards.

The fun and practical contest - with a top prize of £500 to be shared by the winning pupils - provides a great opportunity to engage children and teens in science.

And event organiser Maxine Tarquini said the KM Charity Team competition had life-changing potential.

Maxine said: “The Bright Spark Awards are a great way to get pupils excited about science and engineering - especially getting girls involved in STEM activities.

“It’s no exaggeration to say these awards have life-changing potential for pupils, helping to influence decisions they make about A Level subjects, college and university, and opening up possibilities for careers in science later.

“And given that 2018 is the Year of Engineering, with the government trying to encourage more young people to study STEM subjects so the UK has the right skills for the 21st century, these awards have never been more relevant.”

Entrants, or their schools or families, now have until noon on Friday, June 15 to submit projects.

Shortlisted entrants will be invited to take part in a Dragon’s Den-style final event at Discovery Park in Sandwich in July, and the overall Bright Spark Awards champions will win a prize of £500.

There will also be a number of experience awards for stand-out projects, and every finalist will walk away with something even if they do not make the top spot.

Maxine added: “The £500 champions’ prize is a real incentive to the pupils, with the money going directly to them.

“The experience prizes include days out, visits to supporters to see how they operate and what they do, and the chance for internships. Last year, they included a visit to an IT lab in London and engineering firm Megger, and laboratory tours at Discovery Park.”

The awards aim to excite a passion for science subjects among pupils, who are encouraged to collaborate using cross-curricular skills in maths, IT, science and engineering to innovate and create.

They are accessible and easy to enter, with girls featuring prominently in stand-out projects in recent years. There are no age restrictions so both primary and secondary schools can get involved, and no limit to the number of entries a school or even a group of students can submit.

Pupils are filmed explaining their projects, and videos of shortlisted submissions will be shown at the Discovery Park final event before the judges interview the finalists and choose the winners.

For more information, or to enter, visit the KM Charity Team's website here or contact Maxine at mtarquini@thekmgroup.co.uk.