Budget & School Closure Info
WENATCHEE, WA – The NCW Tech Alliance, Apple STEM Network and North Central Educational Service District (NCESD) are pleased to announce the winners of the regional NCW Virtual STEM Showcase thanks to tallied votes by community members.
The 2022 Virtual Tech and STEM Showcase was a unique opportunity for students to highlight the ways they are using science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in their K-12 education.
The showcase, which kicked off on April 11, allowed students and educators from around the region to submit STEM projects over a four-week period. Students and educators were able to share individual or classroom based STEM projects that students have been working on during the 2021-2022 school year.
Over the course of four weeks, 29 submissions came in from K-12 students across Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan Counties and were showcased on the Apple STEM Network website. Winners were selected by a popular vote for two projects in each of the K-5 and 6-12 grade categories. Student awards will each receive a $250 cash prize.
The NCW Tech Alliance, Apple STEM Network and NCESD would like to recognize the students with the 2022 People’s Choice Awards sponsored by FocalPoint Educational Services:
K-5 Grade Winners:
Red Rock STEM Academy: The Red Rock STEM Academy is an after-school extracurricular activity at Red Rock Elementary is Royal City. Coached by teachers Mario Godoy-Gonzalez and Matthew Smith, the Academy offers K-3 students the opportunity to explore, experiment and solve problems logically. The Academy incorporates a much needed hands-on setting that will allow our kids to become more intentional and purposeful about critical thinking, collaboration, research, problem solving and communication, an experience they do not get in a regular classroom. They learn these 21st century skills while they play and engage in teamwork. The Red Rock STEM Academy uses the FIRST Lego League Jr. Core Values and Objectives.
Ms. Delagraves’s Third Grade Class: Ms. Delagrave's third grade class at Warden Elementary did a Celilo Falls Project. Celilo was a Native American village that was important to the Celilo people and their culture. It was flooded by the Bonneville Dam in 1957. The students have learned about Celilo Falls, recreated the village and are going to teach adults in our community about Celilo Falls.
6-12 Grade Winners:
Quentin Farrell, Grade 11, Cascade High School; for writing a program in Python that generates a picture of generated hexagons based upon a supplied image of a map. It also incorporated wind speed and direction over the oceans, different types of terrain, and also decorators.
Ella Gebers, Miranda Nayak, and Emry Price, Grade 11, Wenatchee High School; for the video they created for the TSA Digital Video Production category and placed first at the State Conference. The purpose of their video was to explore the concept of the lonely ghosts of deceased loved ones and to put an interesting spin on the given theme, “a day in the life.”
Community members can view the entire gallery of project submissions at: www.applestemnetwork.org/stem-showcase
In addition, thanks to a generous sponsorship from the Chelan Douglas School Retirees Association, the two teachers whose students submitted the most projects will also be awarded a $250 cash prize for their classrooms. The teachers who will be awarded are Ross Mark Kondo from Quincy High School and Seth Manthey from Lake Chelan High School.
The NCW Tech & STEM Showcase has been an annual opportunity to highlight the ways in which students and educators are utilizing technology and STEM in the classroom to the community since 2013. The original Wenatchee School District event has grown and scaled across the region to highlight and celebrate the work of K-12 students across 29 regional school districts. This event was the collective efforts of the Apple STEM Network, The NCW Tech Alliance, NCESD, students, educators, school officials, families and STEM professionals who worked together to provide support and encouragement for students across the region.
As a community the NCW STEM Showcase has served as an opportunity to highlight, celebrate and engage students, educators, and local families who are utilizing Technology and STEM in both the classroom and in remote learning.
This year the showcase also featured 9 local STEM professional and educator interviews to help students and community participants connect the value of STEM education as it prepares students from an early age for the critical personal and professional skills that they will need to be successful in their future careers.
STEM professional connections included:
Stela Heuschkel, HR Manager for Chemi-Con Materials Corporation in Moses Lake
David Hulse, Site Manager for Alcoa Wenatchee LLC Aluminum Smelter
Maria Guerra, MJ Neal Associates Architects, PLLC
Beth Stroshane, Applied Building Information
STEM Education connections included:
Brigitte Wiegand & Blueberries Robotics Team, Foothills Middle School
Mark Ross Kondo - Computer Science Students, Quincy High School
Dr. Seth Manthey - Health Sciences Students, Lake Chelan High School
Julie Vanderwal -STEM & Greenhouse Management Teacher, Oroville Jr/Sr High School
Christine Olson - 5th Grade Teacher, Tonasket Elementary School
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About NCW Tech Alliance
Since 1999, NCW Tech Alliance has served as the region’s tech alliance, championing growth and development in North Central Washington. As a 501(c)3, NCW Tech Alliance’s mission is to bring together people and resources in technology, entrepreneurship, and STEM education. For more information visit www.ncwtech.org
About Apple STEM Network
The Apple STEM Network is a regional alliance of K-12, Higher Ed and community partners in North Central Washington. We represent a diverse region with tremendous potential for STEM industry in agriculture, energy and innovation. With our collective effort we intend to: provide a constructive support system for educators who aim to meet the rising challenge for all students to develop 21st century skills and STEM literacy, to integrate community mentorship and promote authentic project-based learning and field experiences for all levels of education, and engage students in exploring the world of opportunities on the horizon through STEM. For more information visit www.applestemnetwork.org
About North Central Educational Service District
The North Central Educational Service District provides a wide array of programs, services and support to the 29 public school districts in the North Central Washington region of Chelan, Douglas, Grant and Okanogan counties. The service district provides professional and timely service to meet the needs of individual schools and districts, and a reliable point of education-related information for the communities served. The NCESD is one of nine respected educational service districts in Washington state.
Media Contacts:
Tami McBride, Career Connected Learning Specialist, North Central Education Service District, 509-667-3642, tamim@ncesd.org
Dr. Sue Kane, Director of STEM Initiatives and Strategic Partnerships, North Central Educational Services District, suek@ncesd.org