Annabelle and Adalyn Martin, of Russell, won top honors in their respective grade levels.

“Annabelle won for the second grade with her creation of a usable playhouse and sheep,” according to the Reach Cyber release. “Adalyn won for the first grade with her creation of a farmhouse with a straw hat and vegetables.”

The challenge called for Cardboard Creations. “Using only cardboard materials, Reach Cyber students were instructed to create and submit projects that fit into one of four categories: Tiny but Mighty, a creation that fits in a hand; Bigger the Better, any creation larger than a hand; Structured to Function, created to be practical and usable; and Watch Me Move, creations that use energy to move.”

There is also a family category that allows multiple siblings to create one project – the Martin’s didn’t go that route.

Photos submitted to Times Observer First-grader Adalyn Martin of Russell poses in front of her Reach Cyber Charter School 2023 Winter STEM Challenge first-place winning Cardboard Creation farmhouse.

The winners at the elementary levels are awarded by grade, where the middle- and high-school winners are separated by category.

“Reach Cyber’s annual STEM Challenge began a few years ago as a way to challenge our students to continue creating and learning during winter break,” STEM Camp Coordinator Danielle Leibig said. “Hands-on learning is an important component of our cyber school curriculum to foster creativity and imagination. To encourage continuous discovery, every year Reach Cyber students receive a STEM kit with building and creative supplies that are incorporated into everyday lessons.”

While the Martins built houses, “Other challenge submissions included a dog food scooper, crossbow, board game, coin shooter, mini houses, puppet theaters, sleds, a massive mermaid-inspired fidget spinner, and many more creative contraptions,” according to the release.

The videos show each project under construction and eventually in use by the girls.

Both can be seen walking through the doors of their completed houses.

In Annabelle’s video, Adalyn sells her some feed that she then feeds to her sheep.

In hers, Adalyn, wearing a straw hat, harvests a carrot from the garden outside her front door.