2021 Georgia STEM Scholar Award Winners

Students undertook an exercise to build a moveable work of art. They documented their design and build process on Google Slides and were excited with the results. They are eager to move into phase two which will bring their work to life using 2-D and 3-D printing.

Evonne’s past experience as a judge in the Georgia Student Technology competition gave her insight into the importance of competition to build interest and enthusiasm for STEM. She has consistently promoted and prepared students in her school and district to enter and win numerous recognitions at state level conferences and competitions.

Students created a new product or improved an existing one by designing on paper then drawing it in Cad. They then developed a full marketing and advertising campaign “Shark Tank” style and 3-D printed the winning products.

Scott acted as lead facilitator in STEM Night initiatives that bring families and communities together around student STEM activities. He also kept the interest and enthusiasm alive by developing a “Tech Tips” weekly e-mailer full of useful news on science and technology, fun factoids related to STEM and “how-to” problem solving and do-it-yourself simple projects. The mailer was enthusiastically received and illustrates a creative, effective effort to keep school communities engaged and educated about STEM.

Third and fourth graders learned about “forced connection,” a strategy used by companies to foster creativity in product design. Students used the Engineering Design Process to create their own design models. Upon completion, they marketed their model, sought feedback from potential consumers and used that information to refine their end product. Students worked with enthusiasm and benefitted from the lesson.

Bonnie served as Coordinator for the annual STEM/STEAM Fest Day in which students rotated among classrooms to work on a series of projects using supplies assembled just for them. They learned a lot and became fully engaged with their creations. Teachers from every grade level participated and local businesses showed up to demonstrate how STEM is used in the operation of their companies.

First graders problem solved by remodeling the school’s chicken coop to safely house hens and roosters and ease the egg collection task. They used LEGOS, Play Doh, and other creative toys for construction. This fun activity introduced STEM skills in math, drawing, design and simple engineering. Both the chickens and the children enjoyed the project.

Andrea’s first graders maintain a seasonal garden by growing vegetables from seed. They weed the garden, track the growth of each plant and eventually harvest, share and eat the produce they’ve grown. The children learned about predatory insects that ruin crops and listened to talks from local garden experts like 4-H Club leaders, the Farm Bureau and others. Interest and enthusiasm for the garden was confirmed when participation spread to other grade levels in the school community.

Students built self confidence, leadership skills, personal growth and leadership essentials through exposure to the STEM Johnny Appleseed Unit. Participants individual and collective confidence grew with each lesson resulting in enthusiasm for each new experiment.

Tracy was the Girls Who Code Club facilitator when the members built a homemade Wigglebot using a plastic solo cup, electrical tape, markers, batteries and other ordinary items. The experiment built self esteem and enthusiasm for STEM alongside mastering coding skills.