The STEM Challenge was held at Ames Field in Michigan City -- the first time an academic competition has been held at the football stadium! Twenty-one teams competed in the event, representing Michigan City elementary schools, Barker Middle School, and business and community teams (NIPSCO, MCAS Technology Dept, MC Fire Dept., MC Police Dept., KTR Corporation, US Steel, and Sullair).
Rockets were constructed of empty two-liter bottles, partially filled with water; they were launched with compressed air at 60 psi. Many of the designs had fins, nose cones, and parachutes. The very cold, blustery weather was an added challenge!
Coordinator of the entire event was Barker Curriculum Coach Amy Hamann. All students from Barker Middle School, along with fifth and/or sixth graders from several MCAS elementary schools, were on hand. The American Legion presented the colors as the Barker chorus sang the National Anthem to begin the festivities. Halftime featured a mascot dance, a precision drill by the JROTC rifle squad, and Captain Ed and his t-shirt cannon.
Winners were:
- Coolspring 5th/6th Grade Apollo Dragon Slayers
- Barker Ms. Frever's Homeroom
- Sullair
Flight of the day was the Michigan City Fire Dept in the prelims, with a hang time of 13.56 seconds before it disappeared over the top of the press box!
This spring, Barker Middle School became one of only 32 STEM schools certified by the Indiana Department of Education (MCAS's Lake Hills Elementary earned STEM certification in 2015).