Our STEAM Club students are moving full speed ahead in their journey toward the APEGA Science Olympics! After weeks of brainstorming, designing, and planning, the club is now at an exciting stage: testing their first prototypes.
Eighteen enthusiastic students from Grade 3 are representing River Valley School at the APEGA Science Olympics, a prestigious event hosted by the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA). This annual competition challenges students to apply creativity, scientific thinking, and problem-solving skills to real-world engineering and technology projects.
Testing and Improving Prototypes
To turn their ideas into tangible solutions, students tested their prototypes with care and attention. Each student received a worksheet to evaluate their device, answering questions like:
- What’s the best thing about your design?
- What color blindness issue do you most want to solve?
- Where will your device be used?
- How many lens or color combinations can your device offer?
- Is your device wearable for most people?
- Is your device practical and durable?
- What materials do you need to improve your device for the Science Olympics?
These questions encouraged students not only to analyze the functionality of their prototypes but also to think about the real-world impact of their designs.
Compassion in Action
What makes this project truly special is that it blends excitement with empathy. As students design devices for people with color blindness, they are practicing compassion-driven innovation—understanding the needs of others inspires better problem-solving and more creative solutions. Many students commented on how thinking about “how this will help someone in real life” made their designs more thoughtful and purposeful.
The next step for our STEAM Club is to refine their prototypes into more robust devices. With feedback from testing and careful reflection from their worksheets, students are exploring better materials, improved durability, and innovative design features to take their creations to the next level for the Science Olympics.
Looking Ahead
The journey from concept to prototype has been energizing, educational, and inspiring. Our students are learning that compassion leads to innovation, and that problem-solving is most meaningful when it addresses a real need. We can’t wait to see their refined devices shine at the upcoming APEGA Science Olympics—and to celebrate the creativity, curiosity, and kindness that fuel their work.
Stay tuned for the next edition of the STEAM Club Blog as we follow our students’ progress toward the big event!