Friday Harbor Elementary School STEM Teams win Competitive Science Awards
Posted March 13, 2020 at 5:45 am by Peggy Sue McRae
Congratulations to Friday Harbor students!
Regional Winners: Jodie Wehner and Nancy Wehner – Contributed photo
Fostering a scientific competitive spirit is well underway at Friday Harbor Elementary School! Three elementary school STEM Teams have received recognition for their work at the national level through Exploravision, sponsored by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) and the Toshiba Company.
These three elementary school teams started projects in September, and worked before and after school, on weekends and in STEM class with teacher Susan Kareken and mentors Dena Royal and Ayla Ridwan until mid-February. Submissions consisted of a research paper and five webpages on paper.
Honorable Mention: Orion Macy and Theron Holden – Contributed photo
According to the competition’s website, “The ExploraVision competition for K-12 students engages the next generation in real world problem solving with a strong emphasis on STEM. ExploraVision challenges students to envision and communicate new technology 20 years in the future through collaborative brainstorming and research of current science and technology.”
Honorable Mention: Azalea Ross, Nadya Troutman, Kaylee Staudt, and Jessie Valencia – Contributed photo
The FHES Regional winners were Jodie Wehner (2nd grade), Ava Youngsman (2nd grade), and Nancy Wehner (1st grade). Their project was titled PhageAwayand they worked under their coach/teacher Susan Kareken and mentorDena Royal. The Phageawayproject is a nine state K-3 Regional winner and will compete for the national championship.
Honorable Mention was awarded to the top 5-10% of projects nationwide. There were only 33 Honorable Mentions for K-3 out of 1,000+ K-3 projects and Friday Harbor teams accounts for two of them.
One of the FHES Honorable Mention Teams consisted of Theron Holden (3rd grade) and Orion Marcy (3rd grade) with their project titled DC Pods. Their coach/teacher was Susan Kareken and mentor Dena Royal.
The other Honorable Mention Team consisted of Azalea Ross (third grade),Jessie Valencia (third grade), Nadya Troutman(third grade), and Kaylee Staudt (third grade) with their project titled Odrone. Their coach/teacher was Susan Kareken and their mentor was Friday Harbor High School Junior Ayla Ridwan.
The regional winning team who produced PhageAway will now build an actual website and (nonoperational) prototype of their PhageAway mini submarine to submit in mid-April.
Out of six Regional winners, the top two regional projects will win the National Competition. Each student on those winning teams will receive a $10,000 savings bond (1st place) and a $5,000 savings bond for 2nd place along with an expense-paid trip to Washington, DC in June for ExploraVision Awards Weekend. Honorable Mention teams win a unique prize and certificate for each student.
According to Caspar van Haalen, Friday Harbor Elementary School Principal, “I am in awe of these student scientists as well as their coach and mentors! Special thanks goto Ayla Ridwanwho, as a high school junior with her own busy life, took the time to help these youngsters succeed. This is a great accomplishment,and Friday Harbor Elementary School is very proud of them!”
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