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Harrogate pupils win national innovation award

Tuesday, 30 June 2026 09:02

Winners: Sophia Lo and India Thomas at the TeenTech Finals.

Students from Harrogate Ladies' College have won a national innovation award after developing smart bandages designed to help treat chronic wounds in dogs.

The school's PetMedD team, made up of Sophia Lo, Smillia Meister and India Thomas, won the Best Research award (Years 12-13) at the TeenTech Awards Finals in London.

Their project impressed judges with its focus on improving animal welfare through smart bandage technology.

The TeenTech judges said:

"This was a confident submission that demonstrated strong skills, technical capability and thoughtful design.

"The team has identified a clear, real-world problem and responded with a carefully thought-through solution that balances technical ambition with strong empathy for animal welfare and owner stress."

All three teams entered by the school, which will become Duchy College from September 2026, reached this year's national finals.

PetMedD was also the only Yorkshire team to win its category.

PetMedD team member India Thomas said:

"It was an incredible experience and we were so excited to win our final.

"Every single project there was well researched and of a high level, so to go home with the trophy is a fantastic feeling.

"I am so proud of all three teams, we put in so much effort and had incredible support from the school."

The school's other finalist projects included Ruby and Harriet's research into regenerated methane panels, and a project by Reewa, Eunice and Ryanna exploring ways to improve living conditions in Sub-Saharan African countries.

The TeenTech Awards celebrate young people using science, technology, engineering and mathematics to tackle real-world challenges through innovative and sustainable solutions.

The success comes as Harrogate Ladies' College continues to strengthen its STEM credentials, with 52% of the school's university applications this year being for STEM courses – double the national average for female applications recorded in 2025.

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