On Thursday, March 20th, our amazing 3rd and 4th grade students participated in the 2025 STEM Challenge. This year’s theme, “Community Problem-Solving,” encouraged students to think creatively and use microcontroller technology to design solutions that could benefit their communities. Our NECCS team proudly presented their original project: a Flood Alert System.

The students worked hard over six weeks, using the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to develop their idea from concept to prototype. Their system featured two sensors — one to detect rising water levels, and another to trigger a full flood alert once levels reached a dangerous point. The goal was to help communities receive early warnings before serious flooding occurs.

The challenge consisted of four components:

• Engineering Design Device Demonstration (40%)
  Teams presented and demonstrated their devices live. Judges evaluated functionality, design, and innovation.
• Game Show Challenge (15%)
  Students competed in a fast-paced, quiz-style challenge using a computer app to answer STEM-related questions.
• Oral Presentation (30%)
  Our students confidently shared their design process, explained their teamwork strategies, and walked judges through the science and engineering behind their project using a visual display.
• Engineer’s Logbook (15%)
  Each team submitted a detailed logbook documenting their journey from start to finish, including notes, diagrams, testing, and revisions.

We’re incredibly proud of our NECCS students for their creativity, teamwork, and thoughtful approach to solving a real-world problem. Their dedication and enthusiasm were clear throughout the day, and they represented our school with pride.