The Warren County Career Center’s Information Technology Program sent three students to attend the FBLA National Competition in Hershey for network design. Connor Mix and Alex Gulnac took second place for network design and Michael Haight took fourth place in network design.

Post graduation, Mix was recently hired at the Warren County Court House for information technology, Gulnac will be attending Penn College of Technology in Williamsport and Haight is enlisted in the United States Navy. Cathy Cummings and Micheal Noe are the club advisers for FBLA. Noe will be the chaperone for nationals which will be held later this month in San Antonio, Texas.

Students in seventh grade from Beaty-Warren Middle School’s gifted program took first place at the Regional STEM Design Challenge Competition and advanced to the state level competition held in Harrisburg in May. The team included Kaylee Gray, Ashlynn Zawacki, Elsie Woldt and Kaitlyn Salapek, who were challenged to research, plan and design a section of a factory that produces a product using sustainable practices by preparing a prototype that showcases how their functioning machine works, and how it supports environmentally responsible production.

The machine prototype should clearly demonstrate sustainability principles by minimizing waste,

Students from Beaty-Warren Middle School took first place at the Regional STEM Design Challenge Competition and advanced to the state level competition held in Harrisburg in May. From left are Kaylee Gray, Ashlynn Zawacki, Elsie Woldt and Kaitlyn Salapek

maximizing efficiency, and/or simulating the use of recycled, reusable, or otherwise sustainable parts,materials, or resources.

The team, called themselves Team Green Beans, impressed the judges with their detailed blueprint and creative project design. Their overall project focused on addressing soil pollution, an environmental issue that is often overlooked compared to air and water pollution. Recognizing the importance of protecting soil health, the team set out to design a soil sifter system that separates contaminants from soil. The device works by filtering the soil and directing it through a process involving fungi and water. During this process, pollutants such as oil are separated from the soil. The remaining soil is then naturally cleaned with the help of fungi, which can break down harmful substances and restore soil quality. Through this innovative approach, Team Green Beans aimed to raise awareness about soil pollution while demonstrating a sustainable method for environmental cleanup.