Students competed in challenges that included the Rain Gutter Regatta and Egg Drop Challenge at the STEM Olympiad on Saturday, June 4.
Students gathered and watched in wide-eyed anticipation—would the hard boiled egg, dropped from the second floor of the McHale Athletic Center, break when it hit the hard ground? Or would the device they engineered for the Egg Drop Challenge be successful in preventing cracks? There was only one way to find out. Bob Taylor, chair of the electrical engineering department at Wilkes, inspected each device after impact, and gave a hearty thumbs up if no cracks were found. And a great many of the devices were successful—thanks to the STEM lessons students have been learning all year in the SHINE After School Program.
Throughout the day, students in grades one through eight worked their way through the four STEM stations: the Rain Gutter Regatta, Egg Drop Challenge, Cricket Wicket Catapult, and See It/Build It. Points were tallied and students were awarded first, second and third prize in each challenge for both elementary and middle school divisions. Whether they placed or not, every student received a prize, and fun was had by all.
SHINE STEM Olympiad Media:
WBRE-WYOU Eyewitness News report
About SHINE of Luzerne County
SHINE is a nationally recognized program working to create a seamless pathway from preschool to high school, promoting school readiness, linking schools and homes in education to build a strong academic and social foundation. SHINE of Luzerne County at Wilkes University is a STEM-based after-school program that serves students in pre-kindergarten through eighth grades in the Hanover Area, Hazleton Area, Greater Nanticoke Area, Pittston Area, Wilkes Barre Area and Wyoming Valley West school districts.
