Miriam C and Stephanie S from Morpeth Chantry Middle School were awarded the Royal Society of Chemistry Prize at The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Fair.

The pair developed a unique type of chewing gum that actually cleans your teeth while chewing. By increasing the stickiness of the gum and including ingredients found in toothpaste, this chewing gum removes plaque.

The prize recognised Miriam and Stephanie for demonstrating excellence within the field of chemistry and addressing the role chemistry plays in solving the big issues facing society. The prize will include a work experience, industry visit or ‘behind the scenes’ opportunity.

The girls’ prize winning project was chosen from over 200 finalists from across the UK. Rogan McGilp, Stuart Chau, Ethan Dunbar Baker took the UK Young Engineers of the Year prize and Roxanne El-Hady was crowned UK Young Scientist of the Year.

Congratulating Miriam and Stephanie, Paul Jackson, Chief Executive of EngineeringUK which organises The Big Bang Fair said:

“It’s easy to see why this idea stood out to the judges but all the finalists are worthy of mention – not only for their exciting new ideas but for showcasing them to crowds of people at the Fair.

“This glimpse into the minds of the scientists and inventors of tomorrow promises great things for the future.”

Dr Janet Hails, Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry and lead judge for the RSC Special Prize, said:

“The competition this year was fierce, but the Morpeth Chantry Middle School pupils stood out from the crowd. They took ownership of their experiment and weren’t afraid to make changes to improve it. We are sure they have promising careers ahead of them, whatever they choose to study.”

For more information visit www.thebigbangfair.co.uk.