By Cearra O'hern, The Enterprise
Sandwich Middle High School students last week participated in a Student Solve Challenge, an in-school field trip where students collaborated with industry mentors to solve a real-world problem.
The challenge, designed for students enrolled in “Project Lead The Way” classes across the commonwealth, divided students into small teams and introduced a real-world, computer-science-related problem an organization faces. The groups brainstormed and developed one solution with feedback from a virtual or in-person industry mentor, and submitted their solution virtually at the end of the four-hour “ideathon.” The winning teams won a pizza lunch for their entire school.
Sandwich Middle High School students worked with the Pan-Mass Challenge, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute through an annual bicycle ride across Massachusetts. The Pan-Mass Challenge, the largest athletic fundraiser in the nation, asked students to generate ideas that would increase the number of individual bike riders who join riding teams and simplify the technical process of joining teams.
The Pan-Mass Challenge had criteria for students to follow in their solutions, including easy implementation and fostering human connection. Numerous classes inside Sandwich Middle High School participated in the challenge, with papers and pens strewn across tables and students huddled together processing ideas.
Ben J. Smaracko and Andrew N. Wells, two students who participated in the in-school field trip, had an idea to create a friendly AI chatbot for team registration that would answer and prompt questions. Ben and Andrew said they participated in the Student Solve Challenge for its “friendly faces and good causes.”
Molly L. Morris, another student who participated in the challenge, said she liked that she could collaborate with her peers in creating real-world solutions, as other computer-science-related work is often completed individually.
“It is interesting to learn how the Pan-Mass Challenge thinks we could be helpful, because, then again, we are just high school students,” she said. “It is cool how people think we can be such a useful resource to other people.”
Students Ella R. Muhlebach, Emma C. Wells and Maura P. Wells wanted to add a resourceful tab to the Pan-Mass Challenge website to make it easier for individual bike riders to connect with teams and reach out to team captains. The three students created a mascot for their group—an “octosnakapug” named Todd, who was one part of all their favorite animals—and said working together was their favorite part of the in-school field trip.
“The Student Solve Challenge helps me go more in-depth with coding and figuring out problems, as I want to code more in the future,” Emma Wells said. “I really like that we are working with the Pan-Mass Challenge because I know a lot of people who ride in our community, and I rode the kids' ride when I was younger. Getting to work with this company that I know so many people are involved in is a really cool experience.”
One of those people is School Committee chairman Kevin Sareault, who has ridden in the Pan-Mass Challenge for 27 years and served as an industry mentor for the in-person field trip. Students presented their ideas to Sareault, who asked questions and provided constructive feedback on how their solutions scored on the organization's criteria.
Sandwich Middle High School computer science teacher Rick E. Gifford said the challenge exemplifies what the district is doing more of—real-world connected activities that move beyond the classroom. He said the challenge is not just book learning or passively listening to a lecture for students, but an opportunity to work with different skill sets and practice what they have been learning.
Sandwich Middle High School engineering and technology teacher Ginger E. Lavelle said students who had previously participated in the Student Solve Challenge could not wait to participate again this year, as students appreciate the realistic connection with an industry professional.
“People will say, ‘Computer science is going to be taken over by AI,’ but the creative problem-solving process cannot be,” Lavelle said. “It is very personal, and you really have to understand human emotions and what a customer needs. The Student Solve Challenge shows students that what they are learning in the classroom is applicable to the real world.”
At the time of this article, the winning teams of the Student Solve Challenge have yet to be announced.
Student Solve Challenge At SMHS Inspires ‘Real-World’ Connections, Solutions | Sandwich News | capenews.net
