The following is a release from AT&T:

HACEMOS and AT&T’s Aspire teamed up to host High Tech Day at AT&T’s office in Bothell on Feb. 27. Lynnwood High Students along with teachers Don Ide and Lynn Gibb participated in the event. High Tech Day is an event AT&T hosts nationwide in 32 different cities in an effort to educate students on opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). What better way to start a STEM event than with a team challenge that most students would never guess as an engineering exercise, they just think it is fun.

In the marshmallow challenge, teams are given 20 pieces of dry spaghetti, one yard of string, one yard of tape and one marshmallow. The challenge is to build the tallest free-standing structure using any or all of the items supporting the full weight of the marshmallow at the top. With only 18 minutes, the teams had to work quickly. Some started immediately building while others strategized as to what would make the best structure. It was a close race but #TeamBanana, as they named themselves, won by only a quarter of an inch.

After a brief question and answer session with our career panel, the students began our main activity for the day – The App Challenge. The mission is to design an imaginary app that fills a missing need targeted at the teen market.  The ideas varied from an app to combine all the user’s favorite apps, to a virtual mannequin so users could see how things in their closet will look together and an app to recommend new trendy clothes.

However, the idea and presentation that swayed the judges came from Team Unbreakables. They performed a skit, starring student Cory Wilson, which demonstrated the need teenagers have for their virtual mentoring app and it was a big hit with everyone. They were selected above the three other teams based on originality, creativity and presentation skills.

The day wrapped up for the students with a reminder about the dangers of texting and driving with both a presentation and simulation from the It Can Wait campaign. This was followed by an emerging technology presentation by Brian Higgins and a Call Center tour. With Aspire’s mission to increase graduation rates, we always hope that we have had an impact on the students and that the event was well received by them. That is why this mentor was quite happy to overhear when one of the teachers asked a student about the day. Their reply was “This is the best field trip I’ve been on all year.”