News & Events
“Dig Into Science” Contest Winners Announced!
December 9, 2011
S. W. Cole Engineering, Inc. has chosen six winners for its first “Dig Into Science” contest. Announced in October, the contest asked science, math or engineering students in Pre-K through 12th grade in Maine and New Hampshire to explain, via a video application, how science, engineering and technology affects their daily lives. Each winning class received a $1,000 prize.
To enter, students worked as a class (such as Mr. Smith’s second grade class or Mrs. Brady’s third period chemistry class) and uploaded their video to S. W. Cole’s YouTube channel page.
“We were pleased with the response and quite impressed with the enthusiasm, creativity, and hard work that all the students put into their videos,” said Bob Chaput, Senior Vice President at S. W. Cole Engineering, Inc.
The winners are:
- Mrs. Lyman's 4th/5th Grade Multi-Age Class at Leeds Central School in Leeds, Maine
- Mrs. Cardello's 7White Science Class at Samuel L. Wagner Elementary School in Winterport, Maine
- Mr. Giangiordano's Jr. College Chemistry Class at Van Buren District Secondary School in Van Buren, Maine
- Ms. Humphrey's 4th/5th Grade Multi-Age Class at Kennebunkport Consolidated School in Kennebunk, Maine
- Mrs. Burnett's 8th Grade Physical Science Class at Boynton Middle School in New Ipswich, New Hampshire
- Mr. Ruel's 3rd Period Science Extension Class at Portsmouth Middle School in Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Teacher Tamara Cardello from Winterport, Maine’s Samuel L. Wagner Elementary School encouraged each of the five of the middle school science classes she teaches to participate in the “Dig Into Science” contest, and all five classes entered. “My students were not only competing against other schools’ entries, but also against each other,” Cardello explained. She added that the contest helped to grow the school’s “Wagner Pride,” among students and teachers who did not enter and even her own students who were not chosen as winners. “When S. W. Cole told us who won, my students were not upset about losing; they were excited for our school.”
At Portsmouth Middle School, in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, teacher Peter Ruel’s science extension class had been learning about the progress being made on the school’s new building, which is currently under construction. The class chose to make this construction project the focus of their video and in it they explained how the engineering being used by the builder was going to affect their daily lives. “The ‘Dig Into Science’ contest moved the student’s science experience to the next level by giving them the challenge to further develop their work with our building project,” said Principal John Stokel, who was pleased to see the students’ enthusiasm in the project. “This award will give our entire seventh grade to opportunity to visit the Seacoast Science Center and continue their exploration of the sciences.”
Each winning class, after learning of their award during a surprise visit by S. W. Cole Engineering during the week of December 5, received $1,000 for the purpose of attending an extra-curricular program related to science, math or engineering. Prizes can also be used to bring a related program to the school for a presentation or assembly. Contest entries can be viewed by visiting S. W. Cole’s YouTube channel.