CLARION, Pa. (EYT) — Riverview Intermediate Unit 6 hosted the regional STEM Design Challenge with 80 students competing on teams from across the region.
(In the photo above, Andrew Castner, Aiden Hartle, Zeelan Hargenrader, and Kaleb Wolbert of North Clarion School show off their STEM Design Project. They placed second in the sixth-eighth grade division)
The participating schools included Allegheny-Clarion Valley, Brookville, Cranberry, DuBois Central Catholic, Franklin, Keystone, North Clarion, Oil City, Punxsutawney, Redbank Valley, Saint Patrick, Titusville, Valley Grove, and Union.
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) is an educational approach to learning that uses Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics to encourage students to apply critical thinking, problem-solving and collaboration skills across all of their content areas.
The STEM Design Challenge is sponsored by Thermo Fisher Scientific. The challenge involves keeping a journal, developing a blueprint, using K’nex pieces to build the project, and then presenting it to judges.
This year’s challenge involved teams of four using K’nex pieces (interlocking plastic rods and connectors) to design an environmentally-friendly amusement park ride.
During the competition, each team had two hours to build their project and no pieces could be brought to the competition already joined. Each team also made a two-minute presentation to explain how their project met the requirements of the challenge.
One team from each of the two divisions (fourth-fifth grade and sixth-eighth grade) was selected to represent the IU and their district at the state competition to be held at Harrisburg University May 19.
Fourth-Fifth Grade Division
- First Place: Brookville School District
- Team Members: Jack Gill, Emma Kimmel, Caleb Kornbau, Coryna Thornton. Team Advisor: Melinda Burton.
- Second Place: Cranberry School District
- Third Place: Redbank Valley
- Creativity: Punxsutawney
- Design: Keystone
- Challenge Success: Brookville
- Teamwork: Saint Patrick
- Presentation: Cranberry
Sixth-Eighth Grade Division
- First Place: Franklin School District
- Team Members: Christine Chen, Erin Janidlo, Joshua Brenan, Joe Martin, and Carson Hittle. Team Advisors: Justin Bandi and Zack O’Brien.
- Second Place: North Clarion
- Third Place: Oil City
- Presentation: Saint Patrick
- Creativity: Valley Grove
- Design: North Clarion
- Teamwork: Titusville Area
- Blueprint: Redbank Valley
Judges for the competition were: Shannon Barrios, Director of Clarion County Economic Development; Cynthia Nellis, Director of Clarion University Small Business Development Center; Ron Bennett, PAECT Treasurer and Retired Teacher; Lori Rodgers, Education Technology Specialist at ARIN IU#28; Jason Hansford, Military Officer; and Jarren Ross, Slippery Rock University student.
Plaques and medals were purchased through All American Awards and Engraving in Shippenville.
