“They set an excellent example of hard work, ingenuity and creativity, coupled with great teamwork," Susan Stern, the Weizmann Institute's executive director for Eastern Canada, said of The Study team. "We are thrilled they had the opportunity to visit the Weizmann Institute in Israel, and we hope they continue to be inspired to achieve even greater heights.”

The Study team — consisting of Grade 11 advanced physics students Julie D'Aoust, Lara De Stefano, Caroline Jo, Tiffany Madon and Amanda McCoubrey — came through under the guidance of teacher Kelly Miller to beat out 43 other teams from schools around the world.

The win is the happy culmination of a long process that began seven months ago. With just a single sheet of plexiglass, a lock and three pieces of wood, the girls had to build an impenetrable safe using the principles of physics. Their subsequent wins at local and regional physics tournaments earned them the trip to Israel.

Earlier this week, after two days of testing their safe-cracking skills against their many opponents' entries — while other students tried to break into theirs — The Study girls' design was deemed the best of all the entrants.

The Study physics teacher and coach Miller, who accompanied the girls to Israel, attributed their success to their thorough knowledge of physics principles.

"Fifty percent of the total score is their ability to answer the judges' physics questions," she said. "They were so articulate; they were able to answer all the judges' questions."