Success at the Bi-County STEM Challenge

Besides being a rising field of study with great potential, engineering is beneficial for students because it is interdisciplinary.

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) was incorporated with problem solving skills, communication, and perseverance this month when a group from Lind-Ritzville High School’s STEM club attended the Fifth Annual Bi-County STEM Challenge.

Seven schools from the region met on May 7 at Odessa High School to compete in two fast-paced, hands-on STEM challenges, which ultimately strengthened their passion for engineering.

Competitors from Lind-Ritzville who participated in the competition were Jack Anderson, Micheal Dickey, Emily Rosen and Emma Aldrich. With STEM club advisor Jason Aldrich, the team left the competition victorious.

The Bi-County STEM Challenge consists of two competitions: the first competition is a short engineering challenge in which students from all schools are randomly grouped. Under time constraints and limited supplies, these groups work to meet an objective.

The heart of the Bi-County STEM Challenge resides in the second competition.

This year, each high school team’s objective was to take apart a bicycle and reconstruct it.

Using unlimited materials and tools, they created a human powered machine that could transport two passengers without either of their feet touching the ground. After three hours of invention, construction and testing, teams raced their “vehicles” through a course.

Despite being the only team made entirely of underclassmen and the only ones who refrained from welding, Lind-Ritzville’s team mounted on their tandem bike and won the race.

Jeff Wehr, high school science teacher at Odessa High School and coordinator for the event is a strong supporter of STEM outreach.

He said, “Besides the fact that we scientists/teachers are great friends and colleagues, my favorite part of the actual STEM Challenge is the independent, student-driven, research-based philosophy of the day.

“I completely enjoy creating the annual events with my colleagues, going through the days on paper and asking each other what the students would do here or there, but then on the day of the event, having the students completely blow us away with new and innovative engineering designs, creativity, awesome teamwork, and incredible effort,” he added.

An article by the American Society for Engineering Education explains that 40-50 percent of college engineering students switch majors or drop out within the first two years due to “poor teaching and advising, the difficulty of the engineering and a lack of ‘belonging’ within engineering.”

“Now,” the article continued, “core science is being coordinated with hands on engineering problem solving that shows students how it applies and lets them demonstrate mastery…”

The Bi-County STEM Challenge is a prime example of how students are gaining more exposure—and interest—in engineering.

STEM club members who attended the competition enjoyed the experience.

Anderson said, “My favorite part [of the competition] was probably getting to test out our creation. The hardest part was figuring out how we were going to do it and how everything would fit together. I like engineering because you have to be able to use multiple skills like math, science and spatial awareness.”

Dickey added that his favorite part of engineering is coming up with something, like ideas, inventions or problem solving.

He said, “I love being given something and coming up with something else.”

The Bi-County STEM Challenge was an exciting competition for all students in attendance, and was a great opportunity for students to compete and succeed in STEM.