At the school division’s STEM Trifecta Friday, June 3, more than 1,600 students showcased their skills in the areas of robotics, entrepreneurship and cybersecurity. The eighth annual event is the culmination of an initiative that engages students in grades K-12 in after school STEM activities throughout the school year.
More than 60 elementary, middle and high schools sent 200 teams and 400 robots to the event held at the Virginia Beach Convention Center. Students participated in one of three areas – Cybersecurity Challenge, Maker Challenge and Robotics Challenge – and award winners were named in each category.
The Cybersecurity Challenge was a new category for the 2016 event. Participating high school students were randomly placed in teams at the event to defend a cyber breach created by the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command. Middle and elementary schools teams presented their own cybersecurity plans and research to judges.
The following teams were Cybersecurity Challenge award-winners:
Elementary School Level:
- First Place: Sudo Sharks, Strawbridge Elementary School
- Second Place: Bulldogs, Bayside Elementary School
- Third Place: Cyber Circuits, Windsor Oaks Elementary School
- Honorable mention: J-BAE, Thoroughgood Elementary School
Middle School Level:
- First Place: Mythical Stingrays, Great Neck Middle School
- Second Place: Cyber Hawks, Virginia Beach Middle School
- Third Place: Life Hackers, Corporate Landing Middle School
High School Level:
- First Place: John Park (Ocean Lakes High School), Sloan Crandell (Advanced Technology Center) and Hannah Piskin (Advanced Technology Center)
- Second Place: Steve Ackermann (Advanced Technology Center), Austin Fullwood (Landstown High School) and Alycia Ellis (Advanced Technology Center)
- Third Place: Tyler Armentrout (Advanced Technology Center), Thomas Quick (Advanced Technology Center) and Tyler Galloway (Advanced Technology Center)
In the Maker Challenge, student entrepreneurs pitched their 3-D printed products to a panel of judges in hopes of winning their “investment.” Students qualified to compete in the Maker Challenge and Cybersecurity Challenge based on performances in events hosted earlier this year.
Winning teams in the Maker Challenge were:
Elementary School Level:
- First Place: Wave Riders, Ocean Lakes Elementary School
- Second Place: Connect Hands, White Oaks Elementary School
- Third Place: Surf Troopers, Ocean Lakes Elementary School
- Honorable mention: Next Gen-DesignerZ, Centerville Elementary School
Middle School Level:
- First Place: V Factor, Bayside Middle School
- Second Place: KCQ, Virginia Beach Middle School
- Third Place: To the 4th Power, Kemps Landing/Old Donation School
- Honorable mention: 3D Office, Kemps Landing/Old Donation School
High School Level:
- First Place: Samoto Co., Advanced Technology Center
- Second Place: Feminia Ingenia, Landstown High School
- Third Place: Deci, Green Run Collegiate
In the Robotics Challenge, teams designed robots to strike golf balls on various golf course holes. Points were awarded based on their successful completion of the timed task. The following teams were award winners:
All Around Champion: Get In The Hole, Advanced Technology Center
Elementary School Level:
- Best All Around: The Fantastic Fore, King’s Grant Elementary School
- Runner Up: The Lucky Putts, King’s Grant Elementary School
Middle School Level:
- Best All Around: Phoenix 3.0, Kemps Landing/Old Donation School
- Runner Up: Stem Quartet, Plaza Middle School
High School Level:
- Best All Around: Get In The Hole, Advanced Technology Center
- Runner-Up: The Engineers, Advanced Technology Center
STEM Trifecta participants and guests posted photos and videos on social media by throughout the day with the hashtag #VBTrifecta16. More event photos are available on the VBSchools Facebook page and an event video is posted on YouTube.