UPPER MARLBORO, MD—Students from Port Towns Elementary, William Wirt Middle, and Bladensburg High School won several top awards at the recent National Communication, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (CSTEM) Challenge in Houston.  

The National CSTEM Challenge is designed to engage elementary, middle and high school students through a project that allows them to work collaboratively. The Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS) teams competed in the following categories: 

• building and programming robots to solve environmental challenges  
• designing and painting murals to tell folk tales through artistry 
• using recycled materials to build sculptures 
• using geographic information systems (GIS) to design digital maps  
• writing original stories to be included in an originally engineered pop-up book 
• investigating a “green” solution to an environmental challenge and then building that model using recycled products 

The PGCPS feeder pattern team, representing Bladensburg, took first place in the quiz bowl competition, green competition and mural competition. The team received second place awards in the GIS competition and in total points. The team reached the semifinals in the robotics competition and placed four in creative writing. 

This was the team’s third year participating in the competition, which was held from March 29 – April 1. 

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