{"id":14803,"date":"2026-02-27T10:39:59","date_gmt":"2026-02-27T15:39:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=14803"},"modified":"2026-02-27T10:39:59","modified_gmt":"2026-02-27T15:39:59","slug":"vbcps-expedition-port-of-call-added-to-this-years-stem-trifecta","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/vbcps-expedition-port-of-call-added-to-this-years-stem-trifecta\/","title":{"rendered":"VBCPS EXPEDITION: PORT OF CALL added to this year\u2019s STEM Trifecta"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Superintendent Dr. Donald E. Robertson Jr. and Coordinator of Student Activities David Rhodes at the opening of the 17th annual STEM Trifecta.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

By Cindy Butler Focke<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>The 17th<\/sup> annual STEM Trifecta and the first EXPEDITION: PORT OF CALL Career Immersion Experience welcomed more than 5,000 VBCPS students to the Virginia Beach Convention Center Feb. 24.<\/p>\n

More than 200 elementary, middle and high school teams competed in STEM challenges, while all VBCPS seventh graders were invited to join them in exploring career opportunities in STEM and the maritime industry.<\/p>\n

The immersive experience \u2014 sponsored by the Regional Maritime Training System powered by the Hampton Roads Workforce Council \u2014 featured more than 100 businesses offering information and hands-on activities.<\/p>\n

Students learned about real-world job opportunities and pathways to careers. School counselors were on hand to answer questions about high school course selections.<\/p>\n

Director of Technical and Career Education Dr. Sara Lockett said hosting the two events together created a powerful moment where students could both showcase their skills and envision their futures.<\/p>\n

\u201cProviding students with authentic experiences that connect learning to real opportunities is at the heart of our mission,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Trifecta Cyber Security Challenge:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elementary and middle school students participated in the Cyber Innovations Challenge. They demonstrated programming skills to solve problems by coding concepts, including algorithms, sequencing, variables and more.<\/p>\n

The two-part high school competition required students to submit findings and recommendations based on a case study focused on national security.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Trifecta Maker Expo Challenge:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elementary students explored the power of wind by designing and building efficient wind turbines.<\/p>\n

Middle and High school students designed and created CO2-powered race cars using 3D printing technology or other advanced manufacturing processes.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Trifecta Robotics Challenge:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Elementary, middle and high school teams programed a robot to perform specific tasks through coding, problem-solving and teamwork.<\/p>\n

STEM Trifecta winners:<\/h2>\n

High School Robotics<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Tech Center Musketeers \u2013 Virginia Beach Technical & Career Education Center<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: First Colonial Kraken \u2013 First Colonial High School<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Stallions \u2013 Green Run High School<\/p>\n

Middle School Robotics<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Pin Engine \u2013 Corporate Landing Middle School<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Androids \u2013 Brandon Middle School<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: ID-10t \u2013 Corporate Landing Middle School<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>Elementary Robotics<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Robo Team Corporate Landing Elementary School<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Autobots \u2013 Kings Grant Elementary School<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: You Three \u2013 Kingston Elementary School<\/p>\n

High School Maker Challenge CO2 Race Cars \u2013 CAD Designed and 3D Printed<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Kevin J. \u2013 Ocean Lakes High School<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Andrew T. \u2013 Advanced Technology Center<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: Jason V. \u2013 Salem High School<\/p>\n

Middle School Maker Challenge CO2 Race Cars \u2013 CAD Designed and 3D Printed<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place:\u00a0 Mason F. \u2013 Salem Middle School<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: \u00a0Blake H. \u2013 Brandon Middle School<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place:\u00a0 Alrik G. \u2013 Salem Middle School<\/p>\n

Elementary School Maker Challenge – Wind Turbine Design and Build<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place:\u00a0 Elite Wind Mines \u2013 Three Oaks Elementary School<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: \u00a0Electric Dino Nuggies 2D \u2013 Three Oaks Elementary School<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place:\u00a0 Windy B. \u2013 Corporate Landing Elementary School<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

High School Cyber Challenge Winners<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place:\u00a0 Four Star \u2013 Landstown High School<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: \u00a0Data Defenders \u2013 Salem High School<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place:\u00a0 Alt + F4 \u2013 Kempsville High School<\/p>\n

Middle School Cyber Challenge Winners<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place:\u00a0 The Three Musketeers \u2013 Old Donation School<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: \u00a0Sea Hawks \u2013 Virginia Beach Middle School<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: \u00a0ManiCoders \u2013 Larkspur Middle School<\/p>\n

Elementary School Cyber Challenge Winners<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup>\u00a0Place:\u00a0 PRO-grammers \u2013 Three Oaks Elementary School<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: \u00a0Sphero Heroes \u2013 Kings Grant Elementary School<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup>\u00a0Place: \u00a0Kings Grant Coders \u2013 Kings Grant Elementary School<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Cindy Butler Focke The 17th annual STEM Trifecta and the first EXPEDITION: PORT OF CALL Career Immersion Experience welcomed more than 5,000 VBCPS students to the Virginia Beach Convention […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":14816,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14803","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14803","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14803"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14803\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14829,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14803\/revisions\/14829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14816"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14803"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14803"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14803"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}