New Hyde Park Road School Sixth Graders Named National Winners in American Student Assistance's 'Solve Together' Contest

BOSTON, May 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- American Student Assistance® (ASA), a national nonprofit focused on fostering students' understanding of post-secondary education and career pathways, announced during a virtual ceremony May 11 the "Futuristic Illusionists" had won second place in the inaugural national ASA Solve Together: contest. The "Tomorrow's Leaders Tackling Today's Challenges" competition allowed a team of middle school students from New Hyde Park Road School to submit a winning idea. The school was awarded $5,000, and the team of students won $1,000.

ASA Solve Together is a national competition designed to encourage career exploration and skill-building for middle school students through project-based learning and teamwork. Each proposed challenge is aligned to grade-level standards so educators can incorporate them into daily learning and help students build critical foundational skills like communication, critical thinking and collaboration. Student teams select a career role -- such as the role of a government official, restaurateur, nonprofit leader, engineer, scientist, architect -- identify a challenge, develop a solution, and build and present their project.  

With the guidance of teacher Jennifer Coaker, the team of five sixth graders developed and submitted a website, a game and video to demonstrate solutions to addressing the challenges of building a colony and sustaining human life on Mars.

"There are many challenges that come with the potential of living on Mars," said Aaron George, sixth grade student, New Hyde Park Road School. "The contest allowed us to think creatively about how to overcome these challenges by taking on the role as future colonists. Throughout the process, we had the opportunity to explore many careers, including spacecraft engineer, an urban planner and architect, climate scientist, and lawmaker."

Through and extensive research, the "Futuristic Illusionists" designed innovative solutions that could prepare humans for all aspects of life on Mars. In addition to addressing the challenges of radiation exposure, toxic soil and cold temperatures, the students created a model colony via Roblox Studio, developed a set of laws, and designed a 3D concept of a rover that residents would use to explore Mars. Learn more about their work here.

"Students from all backgrounds crave learning that feels relevant to their daily lives. Providing equitable access to project-based learning and career exploration opportunities is critical in enabling educators and schools to prepare students for long-term success," said ASA President and CEO Jean Eddy. "The Futuristic Illusionists demonstrated critical thinking, collaboration and communication skillsets needed not only to survive on Mars, but to succeed in the modern workforce. We're eager to see how these bright young students will advance their STEM talents and how they will evolve into future leaders."

The team was selected from 189 total submissions from 23 schools across 12 states. The submissions were reviewed by a panel of judges that included representatives from the Association for Middle Level Educators (AMLE) and ASA. AMLE is a premier partner of ASA Solve Together.

In addition to bragging rights and the cash prize, the students received a trophy to put in their classroom and a banner for their school.

"We are excited that our sixth-grade students, along with their teacher, have been recognized for their innovation, creativity and leadership," said Kim LaRegina, principal at New Hyde Park Road School. "In a challenging school year, American Student Assistance's Solve Together contest provided our students with an engaging opportunity to collaborate and communicate while creating a solution to a problem. Our students aligned their work to the attributes that we hope that every child in our district has an opportunity to explore. They are true leaders, and we look forward to seeing their incredible career pathways."

To learn more, go to asasolvetogether.org.

About American Student Assistance^® (ASA)
American Student Assistance^® (ASA) is a national nonprofit committed to helping kids know themselves, know their options, and make informed choices to achieve their education and career goals. ASA^® has a 60-year legacy of working directly with students to increase their access to higher education through loans and financial education. ASA has turned its experience into impactful solutions for students in grades 6-12 to help them pursue their dreams. To learn more about ASA, visit www.asa.org/about-us.

SOURCE American Student Assistance

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https://www.asa.org