The Naturally Brave Program is a Makers Empire initiative for primary school students. It is run in collaboration with Growing with Gratitude and Bushfire Kids Connect.
The Naturally Brave Program is designed promote awareness of natural disasters and encourage resilience and empathy in primary school students through 3D design. Students complete a series of educational content through the Makers Empire app, which focuses on disaster risk. At the end, students create a project with 3D design and printing that looks at ideas to help those affected by natural disasters.
This project runs in terms 2 & 4 with limited spots for schools.
The project is funded by the Australian Government National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) Disaster Ready Funding (DRF) 2023/2024.
The program continued again in 2025, offering students the opportunity to present their projects at a Student Showcase in their state.
These Student Showcases took place in the following areas
The Cairns Student Showcase was held at Yorkeys Knob State School.
Participating Schools included
The Industry Award winner was Daintree State School Team 2. Their design was a hydro-powered generator.
Wonga Beach State School Team 2 took out the Peer Award for their design which was a house with shock absorbers for earthquakes
The Townsville showcase was held at Belgian Gardens State School.
Gumlu State School won the Industry Award. They designed a portable bridge you can keep in the back of a truck and take to flooded areas. The bridge folds and floats on the water, enabling people to reach medical supplies, food and water. If a few are assembled, they can be connected together. The bridge can bring a sense of gratitude to a community and reduce the fear and trauma associated with flood disasters.
Belgian Gardens State School, Team 1 took out the Peer Prize. They designed airtags built into bracelets and necklaces for young children, and into collars for pets, who both might get lost during floods. The design also includes QR codes that provide valuable information about the child or pet such as family or owner details and specific allergies or needs.
The Port Macquarie showcase was held at the Westport Club.
Congratulations to Port Macquarie Public School Team 4 who took out the Industry Award with their design that was a remote control house on stilts with retractable sewerage and electrical pipes.
The Peer Prize Winner was Old Bar Public School Team 6, with their design called Flood Monster . It is a boat that saves people from floods.
The Adelaide showcase was held at Stradbroke School.
Congratulations to Team 2 from Uraidla Primary School who won the Industry Award. Their design was a mole that digs underground to reach other people, such as neighbours, during an emergency. It can also lead people to a safe room to protect them from house fires.
The Peer Prize Award winners were Team 7 from Salisbury Primary School. Their design was an underground bunker that can detect earthquakes and alert people to evacuate and seek shelter in the bunker.
The Leeton/Griffith Showcase was held at Leeton Public School.
Wamoon Public School won the Industry Award. Their design was a fireball that is invented to remove the need for different extinguishers for different fires and can be placed in rooms ready for fires.
The Peer Prize was a tie between Murringo Team 1 and 2. Their designs were a well-being watch and a calming cube for mental health needs of people forced to evacuate during bushfires.
The Eyre Penisula Showcase was held at Lincoln Gardens Primary School.
