From staff reports
CLARION – Riverview Intermediate Unit 6 hosted the regional STEM Design Challenge, with 76 students in fourth through eighth grade competing in teams from Allegheny-Clarion Valley, Brookville, Clarion, Clarion-Limestone, Cranberry, Franklin, Keystone, North Clarion, Punxsutawney, Redbank Valley, Saint Patrick and Union schools.
STEM 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 involves developing a blueprint, using interlocking plastic rods and connector pieces to build the device developed on the blueprint, then presenting to a panel of judges. This year’s challenge was to design an environmentally friendly building at least 1 meter tall and demonstrate that it could hold weight.
Teams had two hours to build their projects.
The winning team in the fourth and fifth grade division was from Redbank Valley. Members included Brooklyn Edmonds, Nick Moore, Bailey Laughlin, Elena Root and team adviser Laura Heasley.
Brookville earned second place and Clarion-Limestone won third place.
The winning team in the sixth through eighth grade division was from Brookville School District.
The team from Cranberry earned a second-place spot in the older age bracket. Clarion won third place.
The first-place finishers in each age group will represent the IU at a state competition to be held May 13 in Harrisburg.
