Student Technology Competition a Success for Local High Schools, State Universities

NEW ORLEANS, May 17, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Qualifying students at five local high schools and five state universities had the opportunity to compete in a science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) showdown this past Saturday at the University of New Orleans. The event, hosted and sponsored by Great Minds in STEM™ (GMiS) and Shell Oil Company, partnered each high school with a university.  Students formed teams that competed in hands-on and educational exercises designed to explore math and science concepts. The winning high school, Scotlandville Magnet High School, which partnered with Southern University at Baton Rouge, received $5,000 to support its own STEM club on campus. Additionally, the high school students received netbooks and the university students received $1,000 scholarships, plus travel and registration expenses to the HENAAC conference and career fair in Orlando, Florida.  

While the Viva Technology™ Program is nationally acclaimed, this was the first year the Shell STEM Showdown took place in the city of New Orleans. Both Great Minds in STEM™ and Shell Oil Company are committed to continuing efforts to expose high school students to science, technology, engineering, and math careers.  According to Hasting Stewart, Senior Communications Manager, Shell Oil Company, "At Shell, we know that it is important for our industry and the U.S. that we continually encourage and stimulate interest in science, technology, engineering and math throughout grade school and college to help develop the workforce of the future. Both Shell and Great Minds in STEM™ are very excited to bring this customized program here."

Students competed in two activities designed to involve all team members and reinforce the engineering design process. Using materials like PVC, fish line, nuts and bolts, etc., teams designed and built several wind turbines blades that generated power with the aid of an electric fan. The goal of the challenge was to design an effective rotor blade in order to lift a significant amount of weight in a short time.

In the second activity, the Paper House Challenge, students used materials such as newspaper and masking tape to build a paper dwelling that housed at least one student. Through this challenge students learned about geometry principles, the importance of load distribution, and material efficiency. Students also learned about renewable energy initiatives while competing in both activities.

Other participating high schools and universities were Eleanor McMain Secondary School, McDonogh 35 High School, Sophie B. Wright Charter School and Warren Easton High School as well as Dillard University, Tulane University, the University of New Orleans and Xavier University.

Viva Technology is Great Minds in STEM's National K-12 STEM Education Awareness Program.  It is designed to engage students, parents and teachers in activities that stimulate their interest in the applications of technology and provide a STEM career focused path to higher education.  It also helps students understand the correlation between their math and science studies and the many exciting careers in technology. It also included a teacher/parent element on why encouraging student interest in math and science positively impacts children's futures and what STEM career opportunities lie ahead for graduates in these disciplines.

For more information about Viva Technology and future programs please visit www.vivatechnology.org

Shell Oil Company is an affiliate of the Shell Group [(NYSE: RDS.A) and (NYSE: RDS.B)]. Royal Dutch Shell plc is incorporated in England and Wales, has its headquarters in The Hague and is listed on the London, Amsterdam, and New York stock exchanges. Shell companies have operations in more than 100 countries with businesses including oil and gas exploration and production; production and marketing of Liquefied Natural Gas and Gas to Liquids; manufacturing, marketing and shipping of oil products and chemicals and renewable energy projects including wind and solar power. For further information, visit www.shell.com

SOURCE Shell Oil Company