The sky’s the limit for KM Bright Spark Awards 2017 as more leading businesses from the world of science and engineering back the exciting contest for schools.

Devised to elevate the cool status of science and engineering projects in schools and help grow the next generation of super star scientists, the awards honour students for using cross curricular skills in maths, IT, science and engineering to innovate and create.

Steve Hodges boss of leading IT and communication service provider, Astro Communications is backing the event: “Astro Communications are delighted to be involved in the Bright Spark Awards. We have a long history of working with young people and are very interested in seeing young talent developed in the UK, especially in the technology, science and engineering arena. As a judge I’m very excited to see the ability of young people to deliver their message and present their ideas to the panel, using their imaginations to turn ideas into reality”

The annual awards take the form of a Dragon’s Den-style format with students invited on stage to describe their creation with the chance to win money can’t buy experience prizes. The quality and high calibre of previous entries means the budding young scientists and engineers selected could also find a career on the cards with experts using the awards to lookout for their next apprentice.

Primary and secondary school students are encouraged to collaborate using cross-curricular skills and submit projects which fall into one of the three award categories: Innovation, Investigation or Invention. Finalists will be invited to the annual awards event with projects judged by a leading panel of experts. Students will be filmed in advance within their schools to show the detail of the project. This is screened at the event before the dragons begin their interrogation. Different panels of dragons will judge the varying categories or year groups and award trophies and experience prizes to the students and schools.

Overall Bright Spark Awards champions will win a top prize of £500.

Organisations backing the awards include Benenden Hospital Trust, Integrated Technologies Ltd, Golding Vision, Pfizer, Prendon Panels Ltd, BAE Systems and Discovery Park.

To submit a nomination, visit http://www.kmcharityteam.co.uk/schools/brightspark/ and complete the simple online form before the deadline of noon on June 2.