* Three family holidays to the Epcot Centre in Disney World, Florida, are on offer to the winners of the Helix Young Innovators Award 1998. Entrants aged 11 to 14 are challenged to imagine they have pound;500,000 to spend on a project to benefit their school or community from the categories of design and technology, mathematics or science. Closing date: July 31. The successful young innovator in each category will win a holiday and pound;1,000-worth of Helix school equipment. Other prizes include family weekend breaks to London and up to pound;500 in Helix school equipment. For details, freefone 0800 783 7446.
* The Institute for Electrical Engineering is holding a World Micromouse Championship at Manchester University on June 20. Contestants are challenged to build an “intelligent” robotic device which can find the centre of a maze in the shortest possible time. Some mice have rodent faces, others flashing lights, some talk and they come in all shapes and sizes. Cat-egories include a simplified schools competition aimed at 11 to 16-year-olds, designed to encourage further learning in mechanics, electronics, computer programming and teamworking. Details and a teachers’ resource pack from: Rose Pride, IEE, Savoy Place, London WC2R OBL, tel: 0171 344 8419; e-mail: rpride@iee.org.uk