Students build their dreams at Engineering Design Challenge
Posted: May 10, 2024
Second and third grade students representing each elementary school in Newport News Public Schools participated in the school division's Engineering Design Challenge on May 10 at Newsome Park Elementary School Science, Technology and Math Magnet.
Students did not know what the challenge was until it was given to them with the materials needed to plan and design a real-world task in the allotted time period. Dream Builders was the theme of the problem they were presented to solve for the competition.
Working in groups, students were tasked with design and create with Legos a building to the exact specifications needed for a business. The challenge encouraged students to collaboratively apply close reading strategies, engineering practices and the design process, along with other STEM skills.
First place winners for the four different design groups were An Achievable Dream Academy, Dutrow Elementary School, Greenwood Elementary School and Hilton Elementary School.
James River Architects served as NNPS' community partner for the event. The Engineering Design Challenge is part of the school division's ongoing STEM education initiative emphasizing skills in science, technology, engineering and math. The competition also introduces students to various careers available in STEM fields.
This was the third and final NNPS Engineering Design Challenge for this school year.
Middle and high school students representing each secondary school participated in the challenge Generating the Future on March 22. Fourth and fifth grade students representing each elementary school worked on the Sea of Light challenge on February 2.
