Earlier this summer, REAP’s Education Director Colleen Fisk worked with Alaska Native Science and Engineering Program (ANSEP) to develop an energy-themed challenge for students who would normally be participating in their Middle School or Career Exploration academies. Since these were cancelled this spring and summer due to COVID-19, ANSEP developed a “Summer of STEM” for students to remotely participate in a series of challenges, such as making a unique face mask, developing a business plan, building a roller coaster from set supplies, and of course a renewable energy challenge.

Colleen worked with ANSEP to develop and judge the “Harness the Energy” STEM project. Students were challenged to look for the most creative use of local energy and were asked to use local resources (such as sun, wind, biomass, etc.) to complete an everyday task without human power, and pitch why their idea was great.

The 15 projects that were submitted were definitely creative! The student projects varied from solar ovens and distillers to hydrokinetic designs.

Students had the option of asking questions at a Zoom meeting in June, but otherwise worked independently on their projects. Once the projects were submitted, a team of judges, including Colleen, scored each project on: style, creativity & cost of materials; use of energy sources harnessed; and sales pitch. After the scores were tallied for all projects, ANSEP held a virtual ceremony announcing the winner for each STEM challenge.

The top three energy projects, who received prizes from ANSEP, were:

Third: James Jr., Jasmine, and Jeshaiah D. from Anchorage with a solar oven (pictured top to left of 1st paragraph)

Second: Bradley J. from Bethel with a sail car. (Pictured above)

First: Justine E. from Platinum with an in-creek hydrokinetic project, built from materials scrounged from the scrap yard! (Pictured left)