The Germantown Education Commission recently celebrated the achievements of young STEM enthusiasts during the 13th annual Battle of the Brains competition. This event took place on November 2 at Houston High School, spotlighting an impressive array of student projects focused on science, technology, engineering, and math.
Across two categories, A and B, students presented 46 projects aiming for top recognition. Their hard work did not go unnoticed as the competition received gracious sponsorship from former Education Commission member Steve Chandler and his wife, Sharon, allowing the commission to double the awards and acknowledge a wider spectrum of student brilliance.
A creative project titled "Rescue the Koalas" captivated judges and earned first place in Group A. Conceived by Muslima Dadanove, Gabby Watson, Hima NayaNi, and Kate Phipps, the project spotlighted a device designed to safely evacuate koalas from forest fires. Meanwhile, Group B's top award went to Aarav Yaligar, Pranav Bhat, and Allen Cheng for their "UV Thermometer" project, a tool for measuring UV radiation exposure.
Judging the competition was a skilled panel of professionals, including Dr. Dino Palazzolo and Dr. Sridhar Shankar, whose expertise proved vital to successful execution of the event, according to a statement obtained by Germantown-TN.gov. Their efforts, along with the enthusiastic participation of the young scholars, highlighted the persistent dedication to STEM learning the Commission aims to foster.
Commission Chairman Heather Fisher praised the event and the young participants, declaring, "The Battle of the Brains is a vital part of our mission to support academic excellence and foster a love for STEM in our community." The competition not only serves as a platform for showcasing student innovation but also reinforces Germantown's commitment to nurturing future generations of scientists and engineers.