Youngsville Middle School team Frootluips with the Forestation Nation – Ben Blauser, Adelyn McDonald, Kadyn Moore, and Wyatt Lewis – in the sixth-through-eighth grades division and the Beaty-Warren Middle School team Firepaca – Carly Olsen, Lily Sutton, Lillian Wellner, and Nina Woldt – in the fourth-and-fifth grades division earned first place in their respective divisions at the Regional STEM Design Challenge last month at Northwest Tri-County IU5 in Edinboro.

“The amount of work we put in this was vast,” Blauser said. “It was all worth it to hear the announcers call first place to our group.”

“It was a very fun experience, and the judges were all very, very nice,” Wellner said.

“I remember being nervous when we were building our prototype because we got confused about having the number of parts we needed,” Woldt said. “It eventually all worked out.”

Photo submitted to Times Observer Youngsville’s Team Frootluips with the Forestation Nation with members (from left) Kadyn Moore, Adelyn McDonald, Wyatt Lewis, and Ben Blauser, moves on to the state STEM Design Challenge championship after winning first place in the sixth-through-eighth grades division at the regional challenge.

The district sent 12 fourth-and-fifth grade teams and another six in the sixth-through-eighth division.

The middle school teams crowded the podium, earning first, second, third, and most-creative honors.

The elementary teams finished with a first and most-creative.

The premise of the competition was that major environmental issues, including climate change and pollution, are facing the world.

“The students were tasked to research environmental issues, identify one they would like to address and create a solution,” Beaty Gifted Support and STEM Instructor Meggi Brown said.

The solution had to include a prototype out of K’nex pieces, she said.

At both levels, students had to develop blueprints and create journals.

At the middle level, teams had the additional requirement of creating budgets.

All of their work was presented to panels of judges for evaluation.

Joining the Frootluips with medals at the middle level were Eisenhower’s Quakanators — Alivia Glotz, Lane Morrison and Mitchell Owens — in second, and Youngsville’s Seanator — Collin Havers, Caleb Johnson, Mattie Konen-Smith and Ryker Chase – in third. Beaty’s Wally – Caitlyn Ahl, Cecelia Gregg, Lexi Gulnac and Kenley Woods — earned Most Creative.

In the fourth-and-fifth division, Team Air of Youngsville — Matt Shippee, Logan Lauger, Jeret Lang and Archer Watson — was awarded Most Creative.

Frootluips and Firepaca are eligible for the Pennsylvania State STEM Design Competition May 12 at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg.

“I’m a little anxious about the upcoming competition in Harrisburg, but I’m also very confident in us succeeding at the competition,” Lewis said.