eStem Junior High was named one of the nation’s 255 state finalists in the Samsung Solve for Tomorrow Contest, a program that encourages students to solve real-world issues in their community using classroom skills in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM).
This Monday, STEM Teaching Resident, Chicarra Cleaver and 9th grade students Fletcher Stewart-Estes and Miles Browning were chosen based on their proposal to use STEAM skills to protect native wildlife and raise awareness for air quality issues in Downtown Little Rock. To tackle this project, students will construct birdhouses from reclaimed materials salvaged from the Arkansas river. Equipped with some pretty cool tech, these bird houses will be able to alert wildlife officials when they become inhabited or need cleaning, collect data on their inhabitants, and stream air quality information to the public. The team plans to install these houses in the rivermarket area this spring.
As one of five state finalists in Arkansas, Mrs. Cleaver will win a Samsung Chromebook to use in her classroom. eStem will now have the opportunity to advance in the competition for additional classroom technology prizes. The EJHS team is currently working on an Activity Plan outlining how the students will execute their project. If they are named the Arkansas State Winner in December, eStem Junior High will receive a $25,000 Samsung technology package and a chance to compete nationally for one of 3 $150,000 technology prizes.