Three teams of young innovators from Harrogate Ladies' College are heading to London after reaching the finals of a prestigious national awards competition.
The school, which will become Duchy College from September 2026, has made history by securing three places in the finals of the TeenTech Awards.
Following the success of one team in 2025, all three Harrogate Ladies’ College entries submitted in 2026 were named finalists, making it the only Yorkshire school to reach the TeenTech Finals this year.
The projects focus on ethical innovation and research, tackling contemporary challenges through creative and sustainable solutions.
Among the finalists is PetMedD, a smart bandage designed to support chronic wound healing in dogs. The innovation produces hydrogel to aid recovery and can be monitored by pet owners through an app that tracks healing progress. The project was developed by Sophia Lo, Smilla Meister and India Thomas.
A second finalist, PurePasture, aims to reduce agricultural emissions through panels made from zeolite attached to fences surrounding cattle fields. The panels capture methane, which can then be recovered, regenerated and reused to help power factories. The project was created by Ruby McHale and Harriet Nolan.
The third entry, The Poverty Trap, is a research project exploring ways to improve living conditions in Sub-Saharan Africa by helping individuals overcome the cycle of poverty caused by inadequate resources and financial insecurity. The project was developed by Reewa Bennett, Eunice Leung and Ryanna Sin.
Principal Mrs Joanna Fox praised the achievements of all three teams:
“The dedication, commitment and creativity shown by each team is simply outstanding.
“We are exceptionally proud of all three teams and these results are testament to the school’s long tradition of championing careers in STEM for our pupils."
The success reflects the school’s strong focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics, with 52% of university applications from Harrogate Ladies’ College pupils in 2026 being for STEM-related courses.
That figure is double the national average for female STEM applications recorded in 2025.
The three teams will now travel to the TeenTech Finals at the Institution of Engineering and Technology in London, where they will present their ideas to judges and industry experts.
The projects have already received glowing feedback from the judging panel. They said:
“This is a thoughtful, rigorous and compassionate piece of research with clear real-world relevance and exceptional potential.
“I can’t wait to see this idea on Dragons Den!”
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