The Covid 19 Pandemic has taught us that something happening on the other side of the world has the potential to affect us here in Hudson. A team of Hudson Middle School 7th-grade students, Arden Fenstermacher, Isabel Burant, Maren Mielke, and Addison Riendeau, chose to explore the dangers girls in developing countries face while doing laundry in rivers.
First, the Middle School team researched the many health and wellness issues endured while doing laundry in a river. The team decided to develop a way to reduce the time girls were spending at the river by creating a mobile rolling washing machine for the eCybermission STEM competition. The team felt very passionate about their project and felt a real connection to the plight of the girls. The team noted, “Had we been born in a less fortunate place, that could have been us having to wash our clothes in a river.”
As a result of their hard work, research, and clever prototype, the team was awarded top honors by state judges. They were one of the top three (3) teams in 11 states in the north-central region in the eCybermission STEM Competition earning the team $8000.00 in savings bonds. eCYBERMISSION is an online science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) competition for students in grades six through nine that promotes teamwork, self-discovery, and the real-life applications of STEM. Students work in teams, with the help of a Team Advisor, to choose a problem in their community to explore with science or solve with engineering. Students experience STEM firsthand and learn how they can use it to change the world while interacting with STEM professionals and competing for the state, regional, and national awards. eCYBERMISSION students have applied for and received patents, expanded their projects into businesses, and achieved national recognition, including the first-ever TIME’s “Kid of the Year .” eCYBERMISSION is part of the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) and administered by the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA).
In addition to the team award, Advisor Chris Deleon was recognized at the eCYBERMISSION team advisor of the year!
Congratulations to the Arden, Isabel, Maren, Addison and Mr. Deleon!
