Run as a virtual event for the first time, Foxcroft’s 10th Annual STEM Challenge drew 48 middle school and 36 high school students from around the country and globe to compete for prizes on February 20. Designed for middle and high school girls, participants used their knowledge of science, technology, engineering, and math in challenges revolving around this year’s theme of “Code for Good.” This annual challenge showcases Foxcroft's innovative and appealing focus on the STEM fields and allows girls to develop collaborative skills working with others and gain confidence in fields so often dominated by boys.
Foxcroft students brought home a few ribbons from their cybersecurity foray on Saturday. Mackenzie J. ’24 and Alex N. ’24 were on the first-place team (from breakout room 12) and Sarah F. ’24 was on the third-place team (from breakout room 13), all representing Foxcroft well in the high school competition while collaborating with young women from other schools to solve difficult STEM problems. For the complete list of winners, see below.
This year, students registered as individuals rather than coming to the competition with a school team as they have in the past, and were randomly assigned to virtual breakout rooms in their respective middle and high school brackets. Each breakout room then worked together to solve four challenges to fix a system hack using the answers to math and science problems to prove the team was qualified to view the system’s data.
Fifteen engineers from event sponsor Stryker Corporation ran the challenge activity this year, providing support and encouragement to the students in each of the breakout rooms. Following the high school competition, each of the Stryker engineers also participated in career panels in the various breakout rooms where they shared their experiences and answered questions from the young competitors.
The 10th Annual STEM Challenge capped off a week-long series of optional activities also themed on coding and cybersecurity, which invited high school and middle school students to participate virtually in a daily trivia challenge and STEM activity. In all, 43 middle schoolers and 38 high schoolers completed our daily trivia challenge, with 36 students answering trivia on all 5 days!
Below is a full list of winners. Congratulations to all!
High School Winners
FIRST PLACE
Breakout room 12
Kyra S. — Justice High School, grade 11
Mackenzie J. — Foxcroft School, grade 9
Alex N. — Foxcroft School, grade 9
SECOND PLACE
Breakout room 2
Anushka J. — Lightridge High School, grade 10
Chi H. — The Madeira School, grade 11
Erin C. — Loudoun Valley High School, grade 11
THIRD PLACE
Breakout room 13
Aashna K. — The Madeira School, grade 10
Ramida B. — Anderson Serangoon Junior College, grade 11
Reniand S. — The Madeira School, grade 9
Sarah F. — Foxcroft School, grade 9
Middle School Winners
FIRST PLACE
Breakout room 11
Amelia H. — Blue Ridge Middle School, grade 7
Lillian H. — Harmony Middle School, grade 8
Lizzie M. — Immanuel Christian School, grade 8
Tomi L. — Immanuel Christian School, grade 8
SECOND PLACE
Breakout room 3
Darcy M. — Wakefield School
Eliza K. — The Hill School, grade 6
Esha M. — Nysmith School for the Gifted, grade 7
THIRD PLACE (tie)
Breakout room 9
Lucky K. — Mercer Middle, grade 8
Scarlette L. — The Peck School, grade 8
Serena W. — The Hill School, grade 6
Breakout room 4
Imogen F. — Village School, grade 6
Iris Y. — Immanuel Christian School, grade 6
Jane B. — Wakefield School, grade 8