Photo by Logan Thomas
December 21, 2022
www.gfb.org
Vol. 4 No. 27
GFA, GACD ANNOUNCE FALL STEM CHALLENGE WINNERS Georgia elementary students learned how to improve gardening spaces by conserving water as they put their science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) skills to work this fall while competing in the fourth Georgia Ag Experience STEM Challenge. The Georgia Foundation for Agriculture (GFA) coordinated the challenge in partnership with the Georgia Association of Conservation Districts (GACD). The “Be In The Know, Conserve H20” STEM Challenge asked students how gardening spaces can be improved while using water conservation practices. The STEM Challenge was open to third through fifth-grade classes statewide with a winner picked for each grade. Over 60 classes registered for the challenge. Congratulations to Carroll County’s Roopville Elementary “3rd Grade Quest,” for winning the third-grade prize! The “Hill City Hawks” at Hill City Elementary in Pickens County won the fourth-grade prize. The fifth-grade winners were “Ms. Pryor’s Creative Geniuses” at Harper Elementary School in Clayton County. “The Georgia Association of Conservation Districts is excited to partner with the Georgia Foundation for Agriculture on the 2022 Fall STEM Challenge,” said GACD Executive Director Katie Sponberger. “This challenge, which focused on water conservation, helped students understand water as a valuable and precious resource.” Roopville Elementary School’s “3rd Grade Quest,” taught by Jennifer Carroll in Carroll County, displayed their knowledge of the water cycle and impressed the judges with their indoor hydroponic garden used to start plants later transplanted to an outdoor garden. The judges said this showed versatility and enthusiasm. The judges also noted the team paid attention to details and performed in depth research. Visit https://gfb.ag/ConserveH203rdgradewinners to view the Roopville Elementary team’s presentation. In the fourth-grade category, Hill City Elementary’s “Hill City Hawks,” taught by Krista Shipman in Pickens County, won by putting their ideas into action. The team used condensation from the school’s air conditioning unit and took the time to contact their H-VAC technician for help installing piping and a water tank to collect water from the unit to improve the gardening -continued on next page