Hay Elementary School Students Win Grand Prize In National STEM Competition

From the South Bend Community School Corporation:

March 18, 2021

Four students from Hay Elementary School in South Bend were recently awarded the grand prize in a national STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) competition titled “Creating Community During COVID,” sponsored by the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) Foundation. The winning Hay team was selected among thousands of nation-wide entries.

Working as the “Hay Elementary Fourth Grade Team,” students Cameren Sanders, Ares Schuck, Charles Gordon, and Thomas Harrington, participated in the fifth of Legends of Learning’s game-based learning competition series designed to engage kids at home with interactive and collaborative team-based STEM competitions during virtual/hybrid learning.

“A big challenge for them was that two of the students attend school 100% virtually and the other two attend in-person but on different schedules,” said teacher Nancy Vale. “They had to coordinate times and work really hard to complete this.”

After reviewing thousands of submissions, ESA Foundation judges chose Hay students' “Fast & Fresh” concept for creativity, game design concept, and ability to blend community engagement into the game mechanics as exceptional. See the announcement here.

The goal of the game is to get five stars on each level for your cooking as a chef. Players must work math problems in order to start cooking.

The team will be awarded:

• Their choice of a $500 gift card (Amazon, Xbox, Nintendo, or PlayStation)
• Their choice of a premium swag bag (Super Mario Party, Minecraft, Roblox, or Lego Incredibles)
• An opportunity to discuss their winning concept with a game developer at a recognized studio

"The Hay Elementary Fourth Grade team's organization, cooperative attitude, and persistence were key elements in winning this award. The entire staff is thrilled and extremely proud of their accomplishment," announced Hay Elementary School fourth grade teachers.

About Legends of Learning

Legends of Learning is the leading game-based learning platform in the United States, with over 2,000 curriculum-aligned games covering K-8th grade science and math. Legends has over 2 million students using the platform in all 50 states and D.C.

About the ESA Foundation

The ESA Foundation harnesses the collective power of the video game industry to create positive social impact in communities across the country. They support geographically diverse projects and programs that benefit grantees of all ages, races, and genders. As part of their mission, they also provide scholarships to the next generation of video game innovators and support schools and charitable organizations that leverage entertainment software and technology to create meaningful opportunities for America’s youth.

This press release was produced by the South Bend Community School Corporation. The views expressed here are the author’s own.