CCMS team winners in NASA competition

Clear Creek Middle School is one of two Georgia schools at which students have been named winners in a national STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) competition sponsored by NASA. 

The NASA TechRise Student Challenge is an academic contest that challenges 6th-12th grade students to design innovative space exploration solutions. 

Winning teams, of which there were 60 nationwide, each receive $1,500 to build and test their experiments, as well as materials and technical support from NASA.

The winning CCMS team designed an experiment that uses UV light-sensitive beads, which will change color based on UV ray exposure. Known as “Team Beadles,” the group is comprised of eighth graders Kloe McFarland, Andrew Chastain, Presley Chancey, Alexandra Shull and Jilly Burnette. They will build their experiment during the remainder of the school year, leading up to a NASA-sponsored flight test this summer.

“(They) plan to conduct the experiment on Earth’s surface and on a high-altitude balloon. Four beads will be tested in each setting,” explained Amy Becker, eighth grade CCMS physical science teacher. “Three of the beads will be sprayed with 30, 50 and 100 SPF sunscreen, while the fourth bead will not be sprayed as a control. Encased in small clear containers, each bead will be exposed to the sun’s UV rays for equal durations on Earth and in the stratosphere.”

Becker said the primary objective of the experiment is to “accumulate data illustrating the contrasting effects of UV rays on Earth and in the stratosphere.

“This valuable information has the potential to influence the development of new materials for safeguarding gear, spacecraft and individuals venturing into the stratosphere,” she added.

Participating in the NASA student challenge was a first-time experience for Becker and  students in advanced science classes at the middle school. Twelve teams entered the contest, in which they designed and submitted experiment proposals to NASA. Becker said the design process “allowed them to delve into the realms of teamwork, problem-solving and creativity,” while also building such essential skills as effective communication and critical thinking.

“I’m most excited about the hands-on experience and real-world application that building the experiment will offer my students,” she added. “The prospect of seeing their ideas materialize into a tangible project, one that will ascend to 70,000 feet into the stratosphere, is both thrilling and educational.”

Becker first learned about the TechRise Challenge in March 2023 when she and a group of students attended a National Science Teaching  Association (NSTA) Conference in Atlanta. After NASA representatives shared details about the contest, the idea to enter took root.

“This sets the stage for us to enter again (next year),” Becker said. “There’s a couple of other teachers who are interested in helping out with it next year, so we will hopefully be able to incorporate kids in other classes.”

Dr. Brian Ridley, Gilmer schools superintendent, said CCMS students entering the competition is another example of the innovative opportunities offered in the county’s schools. 

“We are very excited about this opportunity and very proud of this accomplishment. Our students will be able to collaborate with real NASA scientists. We look forward to seeing what the results are,” Ridley said. “We try to be very innovative with all our programs, and we have got some outstanding programs. Since the pandemic, we’ve implemented STEM education in our elementary schools. This NASA project has really been kind of an extension of that STEM education focus.” 

Last week, Team Beadles  received its NASA prize pack, which included a 3-D printed flight box. That box will contain the SPF test experiment when it’s sent up into space this summer.

“We meet with a NASA engineer every Friday, and (team members) have a weekly to-do list. In our next meeting, we will create our order list and get all the components ordered,” Becker said.

The other winning Georgia school with students advancing to the project building phase of the competition was the Cliff Valley School in Atlanta.