Boys from the fourth and fifth grades have been working toward imaginative solutions to open-ended challenges since last fall. The Subterranean Master-Sharks (5th graders: William Levy, Henry Lindeman, Will Hess, John Michael Pfrommer, Ross Kaye, and Ihsan Omer) tackled an engineering challenge requiring the construction of a balsa wood structure that bears weight integrated into a story about two nations resolving a conflict. The Flaming Fajitas (4th graders: Whitt Stockburger, Matthew McKay, Owen Gooch, Sam Scull, Davis Rudd, and Aidan Lightman) chose an improvisational challenge involving research into stock characters and storytelling genres.

Both teams enjoyed an amazing first-year journey! Having qualified at the regional level for the state tournament, the teams traveled to Nashville on April 8 to compete with schools across the state of Tennessee.

The Flaming Fajitas gave a strong performance and finished in sixth place for their challenge. Our fifth-grade team, Subterranean Master-Sharks, amazed everyone when their balsa wood structure held 861 pounds propelling them to a first-place finish and a spot at the Global Finals in May!