MERIDEN, N.H. -
Call it a science-lovers playground. Head quarters for the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics team at Kimball Union Academy. The students recently received some great news.
"The guys came up to me in the library and said we won the state challenge and we were just like what?!" said senior Elizabeth Exton.
They are competing in the "Real World Design Challenge." A nation-wide airplane building contest. At the state-level-- the focus in on the plane's wing. And out of 17 teams in New Hampshire, they came out on top. Now, it's on to nationals.
"The national competition involves basically finishing this plane up. Choosing an engine, choosing a propeller, and looking at the flight characteristics of the plane to see how well they did," said Tom Pasquini of Kimball Union Academy.
A challenge that involves design, data, and, in their case, a 74-page thesis. College-level engineering that could help them land a job after they graduate.
"They are now taking on a project of that scale in high school. So, they are going to be very well prepared for college and very well prepared for Boeing, Air Bus," said Pasquini.
The STEM team-- as it is called-- is a extra-curricular activity. The kids say they are learning much more than just science. It's not just their design that won over the judges. They say it was also their ability to effectively communicate how and why they chose it.
"I never knew that engineering would require so much teamwork. But it does. I've improved my communication skills so much through this program," said Exton.
And it's getting the word out on this campus and beyond, that when it comes to learning, the sky is the limit.
"It is good that we won something that is not sport wise and more academic wise and that we get a chance to tell the school more about what we did," said Diego Rossi, Kimball Union Academy STEM Team.
On Monday, the students will be in Concord New Hampshire receiving accolades from Governor John Lynch. April 21st, they will be in Washington D.C. Presenting their plane to a panel of judges and taking their shot at a national title.
