Students Earn Recognition at International Space Settlement Design Competition
Sixteen northwest Iowa students were selected to attend the international competition at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Visitor Center complex in Titusville, Florida on Friday, July 28 through Monday, July 31. Of the sixteen students, seven students were from the Sioux City Community School District:
| Jose Ayala | West High School |
| Coltin Berke | West High School |
| McKenna Deaton | East High School |
| David Le | West High School |
| Jackie Toben | North High School |
| Olivia Tidwell | East High School |
| Madeline Walding | North High School |
These students were selected from the regional Johnson Space Center (JSC) Space Settlement Design Competition sponsored by the Northwest AEA last fall. During the regional competition last fall, McDenna Deaton was honored with the Dick Edwards Award, which goes to one student from each company the displays exceptional leadership.
The international competition included 240 students from across the country as well as students from the United Kingdom, Europe, India, Pakistan, China, Australia, Argentina and Uruguay. Students were clustered into small groups that respectively represented “companies.” Each company then must use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills to solve a common complex challenge.
The 2017 winning company at the International completion, which provided the best solution to the complex scenario, was Grumbo, which included Sioux City student Coltin Berke.
This year’s scenario challenge was set on Venus in the 2092. A settlement of 10,000 people was involved in exploration, mining, and manufacturing. The companies were charged with finding a means of protection for these people in the face of the dangerous Venusian conditions.