Three Kettering Fairmont High School students won top honors Wednesday, Feb. 17, in a statewide contest aimed at finding an engineering solution to a “real-world” problem.
Gov. Ted Strickland announced the winning team of the Ohio Real World Design Challenge during an afternoon news conference at Metro Early College High School in Columbus.
Nancy Brown, coordinator for Fairmont’s career tech programs, said the winning entry of seniors Brian Catrine, William Timmer and Brandon Wehner used computer software to redesign the tail of an airplane to make the plane more fuel efficient. The students, who couldn’t be reached for comment Wednesday, worked under the guidance of teacher David Lord and engineering mentors from Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, she said.
“They beat out 49 other teams in Ohio,” Brown said. “We’re really, really excited they won.”
This year’s contest focused on aeronautics and energy use. As first-place finishers, the students won an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., March 26-29, to compete on a national level. On Tuesday, though, they were Columbus to get the news from the governor himself.
“The Real World Design Challenge enhances STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in Ohio and reflects our commitment to giving students opportunities to creatively apply what they have learned,” said Strickland, who was joined by state Superintendent Deborah Delisle.
Teams from Metro Early College High School and Thomas Worthington High School were also recognized as top scorers.
The Ohio Real World Design Challenge is a partnership with the state, the Federal Aviation Administration, NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy, private corporations and others.
Additional information on the competition can be found at www.realworlddesignchallenge.org.