{"id":13867,"date":"2025-05-21T13:44:30","date_gmt":"2025-05-21T17:44:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/?p=13867"},"modified":"2025-05-21T15:29:03","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T19:29:03","slug":"stem-trifecta-challenges-students-and-offers-career-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/stem-trifecta-challenges-students-and-offers-career-information\/","title":{"rendered":"STEM Trifecta Challenges Students and Offers Career Information"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Hermitage Elementary brought three teams to the STEM Trifecta, including two competing in robotics. The goal was to score points by programming their robot to toss a ball into one of four squares. Fifth grader Maddox Angleton of \u201cThe Fluffy Wolves\u201d said preparation for the event included lots of \u201ctrial and era.\u201d \u201cThe Jawlines\u201d team member Anderson Morris said the key to success was \u201cmaking adjustments early on\u201d during practice.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 16th<\/sup> annual STEM Trifecta Challenge welcomed about 800 VBCPS students to the Virginia Beach Convention Center on May 14.<\/p>\n

The all-day event \u2013 organized by the office of technical and career education (TCE) \u2013 provided students with hands-on educational challenges in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Bayside Elementary fifth grader Mason May was selected to help VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson Jr. cut the ribbon during the STEM Trifecta opening ceremony. From left, TCE Director Dr. Sara Lockett, Coordinator of Student Activities David Rhodes, Mason, Dr. Robertson, and Executive Director of Secondary Teaching and Learning Thomas Quinn.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Donald Robertson Jr. \u00a0spoke at the opening ceremony and commended participants for exploring creativity and new technologies.<\/p>\n

\u201cTake advantage of this opportunity,\u201d he told them. \u201cYou are all going to be winners!\u201d<\/p>\n

Bayside Elementary fifth grader Mason May was selected to assist with the event\u2019s ribbon cutting to officially begin the competition.<\/p>\n

Mason said he was \u201cexcited, nervous, and happy\u201d to help the school superintendent onstage.<\/p>\n

His team, the \u201cNeo Alpha Wolves,\u201d were ready to put their robot to the test, he said.<\/p>\n

Teams from 49 schools competed in robotics, maker and cybersecurity challenges.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>A career fair was added this year. TCE Director Dr. Sara Lockett said the purpose was to expose students to a wide variety of job opportunities in STEM fields and the maritime industry that is vital to the region.<\/p>\n

Students met and interacted with industry representatives when not competing and could win prizes by getting their passports stamped at each stop.<\/p>\n

First, second and third place awards were presented at the end of the day for each challenge in the elementary, middle and high school levels.<\/p>\n

2025 STEM Trifecta winners:<\/h2>\n

Cyber<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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

1st<\/sup> Goobers v2.0, ATC<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> rm-rf\/, Kempsville High<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> 5 Count Nuggets, ATC<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
A team from the Advanced Technology Center competed in the high school robotics competition. The idea was to score points by programming their robot to hang on a ladder and put round rings on goals during the allotted time.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

1st<\/sup> MouseGate, Princess Anne Middle<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> Tech Titans, Corporate Landing Middle<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> DJ Formaldehyde, Lynnhaven Middle<\/p>\n

Elementary School:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> SpheroBots, King\u2019s Grant Elementary<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> The Code Crackers, Creeds Elementary<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> Digital Ducklings, Shelton Park Elementary<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The Tidewater Community College engineering club participated in the Trifecta career fair. Shelton Park fourth grader Avery Tugman pedaled a stationary bike to generate as much energy as possible.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Robotics<\/strong><\/h2>\n

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

1st<\/sup> Infamous, First Colonial High<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> Tech Center, TC<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> Mechanical Princesses, Princess Anne High<\/p>\n

Middle Schools:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> Team Twinkle, Salem Middle<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> Artificial Unintelligence, Corporate Landing Middle<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> Glamgineers, Salem Middle<\/p>\n

Elementary:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> The Destroyers, Kings Grant Elementary<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> Monsieur Rabot, Ocean Lakes Elementary<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> Big Brain Minions, Kingston Elementary<\/p>\n

Maker<\/strong><\/h2>\n

High Schools:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> Kevin Jiang, Ocean Lakes High<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> Carson Fitch, Kempsville High<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> Trent Sutryk, Kempsville High<\/p>\n

Middle:<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> Maxwell Jordan, Salem Middle<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> Makaila Fleming, Salem Middle<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> Laurelai Roznowski, Salem Middle<\/p>\n

Elementary<\/strong><\/p>\n

1st<\/sup> Electric Dino Nuggets, Three Oaks Elementary<\/p>\n

2nd<\/sup> Wind Howlers, Three Oaks Elementary<\/p>\n

3rd<\/sup> Bettie F. Williams #1, Bettie F. Williams Elementary<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The cybersecurity challenge for the elementary and middle schools involved moving a robotic ball through \u201cSphero City.\u201d A Birdneck Elementary team used the SpongeBob SquarePants theme as they programmed the ball to visit designated places on the mat, while staying within certain lines.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The objective of the elementary maker challenge was to build a wind turbine to withstand a wind tunnel and generate energy. Birdneck Elementary fifth grader Elisa Rodriguez said her team had to do a lot of improvising. Their turbine\u2019s blades were made from wood and the concrete base was painted in earthy colors to blend in with the environment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Amazon brought out a marble maze to the STEM Trifecta and showcased one of its electric vans. Eventually the company plans to transition to an all-electric fleet of vehicles.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Representatives from Norfolk Naval Shipyard talked to students about their apprenticeship program and more at the career fair. Students took turns using a rivet gun to put screws into an aluminum flag.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
VBCPS Superintendent Dr. Robertson, left, and Chief Information Officer David Din watched some of the STEM Trifecta competition and visited the career fair.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
A career fair was a new addition to this year\u2019s STEM Trifecta. Industry representatives provided hands on activities and promoted careers in STEM and the maritime industry.
NASA Education Specialist Chelsea Chandler offered students the chance to fly paper airplanes in a portable wind tunnel. She also showed them folding propeller technology invented at NASA and models of the supersonic X-59 aircraft, which she said will likely become commercial airplanes in the future<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The 16th annual STEM Trifecta Challenge welcomed about 800 VBCPS students to the Virginia Beach Convention Center on May 14. The all-day event \u2013 organized by the office of technical […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":13875,"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":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-connections"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/12"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13867"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13884,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13867\/revisions\/13884"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13875"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vbcpsblogs.com\/core\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}