Alliance students win Ohio STEM challenge

Alliance Review
Aaron Weaver of NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, left, and LaToya Gispert, second from left, stand with Fishanator team members, from left, Talen Henderson, Andrew Horning, Dawson Sedei and Ross Gardner, Alliance Intermediate School students who won a state title in their division of the Ohio STEM Learning Network #STEMorbitsOhio design challenge.

Four fifth-grade students from Alliance Intermediate School won a state title in the recent Ohio STEM Learning Network #STEMorbitsOhio design challenge.

Team members of “The Fishanators” were Andrew Horning, Dawson Sedei, Ross Gardner and Talen Henderson.

The boys’ coach was LaToya Gispert, a STEM teacher at Alliance Intermediate. She has been teaching in Alliance City Schools’ STEM program for two years.

The boys earned the trip to the state championship event when they won the school’s STEM showcase in January.

Showing off a certificate they won as the elementary-level champion in the Ohio STEM Learning Network #STEMorbitsOhio design challenge are, from left, competitors Andrew Horning, Talen Henderson, Dawson Sedei and Ross Gardner of Alliance Intermediate School.
Showing off a certificate they won as the elementary-level champion in the Ohio STEM Learning Network #STEMorbitsOhio design challenge are, from left, competitors Andrew Horning, Talen Henderson, Dawson Sedei and Ross Gardner of Alliance Intermediate School.

In the state contest, the students were tasked with developing a plan, system or product to positively impact the sustainability of the physical and mental health of astronauts aboard Starlab, one of three US-based, free-flying commercial space stations set to replace the current International Space Station when it is retired in 2030.

While preparing for the challenge, students in Gispert’s all-year STEM classes had in-person and virtual meetings with two experts. Kimberly Knish, a former NASA analog astronaut; and Aaron Weaver of NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland provided insight, feedback and suggestions on the students’ projects.

The Fishanators’ original plan – a special alarm clock used to address lighting issues in space, had to be scratched once students learned a similar project currently is underway within NASA. The team regrouped and returned to a previous design – an artificially intelligent being named D.A.L.E, which stands for Devoted Artificial Loneliness Eliminator. They built LEGO prototypes of AI companions that would help ease the isolation astronauts often experience in space.

The final presentation was submitted for review by a judges’ panel.

Only 21 teams of students were invited to present designs Feb. 23 in person at Battelle’s headquarters in Columbus, and the Fishanators was among the group. The competition included students in elementary, middle and high school.

Battelle is the largest independent nonprofit applied science and technology organization in the world.

The Fishanators’ concept bested 55 other elementary teams from across the state. The team also was named regional elementary winner for the Akron Hub, which covers 13 counties in Northeast Ohio. Ten elementary schools from Akron Hub competed in the state challenge.

This article originally appeared on The Alliance Review: Alliance Intermediate School students tops in Ohio STEM challenge

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