HOWELL – During an awards assembly on Nov. 7 at the New Jersey Education Association convention in Atlantic City, a team of students from the Aldrich School was awarded first place in the U.S. Army/New Jersey School Boards Association STEAM Tank Challenge and received a $2,500 grant.
The STEAM Tank Challenge, created and sponsored by the NJSBA and the U.S. Army, encourages students in the areas of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics. The statewide competition challenged students to invent something new, modify an existing product, or identify a situation or problem that required resolution, according to a press release.
Aldrich School pupils Madison Vigliotti, Reese Ertel and Casey Reinknecht invented Strechers, an expandable dress shoe for children.
Computer teacher Evelyn Kearney and media specialists Erin Gorski and Jennifer Stenard guided the students through the year-long competition which began with 310 elementary school submissions.
In the spring, 190 submissions advanced to the regional level. Later, 30 of those submissions advanced to the finals, which were held in Atlantic City at the end of October.
Aldrich School Principal Drew Smith said he was proud of his pupils.
“Outstanding. The whole school is proud of their efforts and it is really exciting,” he said.
Smith praised the students for their invention and said, “The girls were so creative and innovative. They were dedicated to their campaign of making Strechers something relevant for not only the (competition), but hopefully globally and beyond.”
The principal compared STEAM Tank to the television show “Shark Tank.”
“They come up with an idea that has to be an original idea or they can expand upon or improve an existing product. They had something they felt was completely innovative, inventive,” Smith said.
The pupils’ idea was started as a way to help parents. One thing they thought of was a shoe for children that would expand as they grow.
“Specifically a dress shoe, because parents buy dress shoes for their children and when the children are young the parents may buy a couple of pairs of shoes within 18 months or so, and the children do not really use them that often, specifically dress shoes. (The pupils thought) ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if parents had the opportunity or ability to expand the shoes along with their children’s growth cycle,’ ” Smith said.
The children’s idea was accepted and they had some prototypes made of an expandable shoe, “specifically in length. They involved the Skechers company, just for some information. We also went to an engineer who happens to be the husband of Mrs. Stenard, one of our teachers who helped guide the program,” the principal said.
Smith said it has not been determined exactly how the $2,500 grant will be used at the Aldrich School. He said Claire Engle, who is the director of digital learning and innovation for the Howell K-8 School District, and Superintendent of Schools Jospeh Isola have been major supporters of the STEAM initiative.
