FAU Team Takes First Place at SECME Nationals

FAU SECME 2018


By brittany sylvestri | 7/16/2018

The A.D. Henderson University School (ADHUS) SECME team recently took first place in the mousetrap car competition in the 2018 SECME National Competition at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach. The team earned the opportunity to compete in nationals for the second year in a row after winning the Palm Beach regional championship with their mousetrap powered car. 

The regional champion team consisted of Chloe Reeves, Joah Levine and Deborah Faerman; however, Cameron McMullen, Ashley Ulbrich and Vinu Suthakaran stepped in as alternate team members joining Levine and the club sponsor, James Nance.The team had two chances to run their car and were judged based on the length and weight of their vehicle and the distance and speed of their runs. The team’s first-place finish was based off of their overall scores for their technical paper, technical drawing, presentation and performance.

“We are so proud of the determination and focus applied by this STEM team,” said Sherry Bees, principal/director of A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High School. “Participating and succeeding in competitions like the SECME Championship allows our students to demonstrate their curiosity and mastery of 21st century STEM skills”

The team placed first and second in the mousetrap car competition; first and second place in the FPL generator competition; second and third place in the rocket competition; and second place and an honorable mention in the Balsa bridge competition. 

This was the first time The Cane Institute for Advanced Technologies within A.D. Henderson and FAU High was represented at the national level. The center was established in April after a $1 million gift from Daniel and Debra Cane. 

In addition to the competition, the team had the opportunity to listen to guest speaker, NASA astronaut Benjamin Alvin Drew, who discussed his space flight experiences.

-FAU-

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