A student-designed model reinvents the tracking watch
GPS Middle School students presented their eCYBERMISSION science projects that proposed unique solutions to real local problems ranging from water pollution to food waste to alarms warning of infants left in cars.
Collaboration was key for the GPS entries in the e-CYBERMISSION program which concluded Monday and Tuesday with a project display in the library.
As GPS faculty evaluated the displays by Middle School student teams, asked questions, and judged the projects, team members were on hand to explain how they worked together to identify local problems, conduct research, and propose solutions for issues ranging from water pollution to food waste to the need for better inhalers.
The eCYBERMISSION program is a web-based science, technology, engineering and mathematics competition in which the students are required to work in teams of three to four students to propose a solution to a real problem in the community. Through this competition, the teams can compete for state, regional and national awards. The program provides online uploading of information, online mentors, and online judging. In the past few years, GPS has had at least one or two freshman teams place at the top of state entries.
One unique project on display proposed an alarm system that would go off if a child is left in a hot car. The Smart Seat, sensing the baby in the seat, would take the interior temperature of the car and sound an alarm if the testing temperature rose above 75 degrees.
The seventh and eighth grade science classes, taught by Katye Adams Couch ’92 and Kristi Bryson, began early with the group work model that is the hallmark of many careers that GPS students will enter. Using critical thinking, communication, and creativity, the students spent a month collaborating with their peers and were excited to share their eCYBERMISSION competition ideas with the GPS faculty, classmates, and a few visiting parents.