STEM Center recognizes Expo contest winners

The Citadel’s STEM Center of Excellence has announced the winners of the South Carolina STEM Innovation Expo competition held April 24 at the North Charleston Convention Center.

In its first year, the STEM Expo hosted 15 elementary, middle and high schools from across the state. Students were challenged to develop an educational mathematics video game, create an advocacy kit to promote healthy living, engineer a miniature concrete speedboat and use
technology to resolve a local community issue.

“This is a great opportunity for these students to come together and see that their education can be used outside the classroom,” said Carolyn Kelley, director of The STEM Center. “Competitions like these help to encourage the most creative thought and motivate students to think about how they can continue pursuing their education and a career in a STEM subject. Plus, who doesn’t like to watch a competition with concrete speedboats?”

The STEM Center was created as a collaborative between The Citadel’s Schools of Education, Engineering, and Science and Mathematics. Its mission is to advance science, technology, engineering and math literacy in the South Carolina Lowcountry and beyond. Working with P-20 educators, STEM industry professionals, non-profits and governmental agencies, the Center works to address the region’s critical needs.

A panel of STEM industry and educational leaders evaluated the projects for the best innovation, prototype, website, expo booth, presentation and white paper. This year’s winners are:

Float Your Boat Competition
Float Your Boat challenged high school teams to design, build and race a concrete vessel that could float and be propelled using only a potential energy source.

Web Site
1st Thunderbolt Career & Tech. Center
2nd Garrett Academy

White Paper
1st Garrett Academy
2nd Thunderbolt Career & Tech. Center

Booth
1st Garrett Academy
2nd Thunderbolt Career & Tech. Center

Presentation
1st Garrett Academy
2nd Thunderbolt Career & Tech. Center

Boat Race
1st Thunderbolt Career & Tech. Center
2nd Garrett Academy

Go Play!
Go Play! is a grade 3-5 team challenge to create a video game that teaches a mathematical concept such as addition, place value or percentages.

Web Site
1st Broad River Elementary School
2nd North Charleston Elementary

White Paper
1st North Charleston Elementary
2nd Broad River Elementary School

Booth
1st North Charleston Elementary
2nd Broad River Elementary School

Presentation
1st North Charleston Elementary
2nd Broad River Elementary School

Video Game
1st North Charleston Elementary
2nd Broad River Elementary School

Find Your Inner Tech
This STEM competition challenged middle school teams to identify an issue in their community and, using technology, create a solution.

Web Site
1st Colleton County Middle
2nd Cross High School

White Paper
1st Cross Elementary
2nd Colleton County Middle

Booth
1st Cross Elementary
2nd Colleton County Middle

Presentation
1st Colleton County Middle
2nd Cross Elementary

Healthy Choices
This K-2 challenge gave teams an opportunity to develop an effective advocacy kit to encourage their peers to make healthy food choices, participate in physical exercise or practice disease prevention.

Web Site
1st Angel Oak Elementary
2nd Jennie Moore Elementary

White Paper
1st Beech Hill Elementary
2nd Angel Oak Elementary, Berkeley Elementary, Jennie Moore Elementary

Booth
1st Jennie Moore Elementary
2nd Beech Hill Elementary

Presentation
1st Jennie Moore Elementary
2nd Beech Hill Elementary

Advocacy Kit
1st Jennie Moore Elementary
2nd Angel Oak Elementary