Students Compete in Coding and Drone Racing

The Office of Catholic Schools is launching a new initiative, sponsored by Phillips 66, called “STREAM Stars.” STREAM is an extension of STEM that combines Religion and the Arts with technical education—Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.
 
Mauro Garcia, Director of Technology at the Office of Catholic Schools, came up with the idea and reached out to some local companies to sponsor the magazine. Phillips 66, an American energy company that opened a facility in Corpus Christi last April, has joined in and is sponsoring this year’s event. 
 
Eleven teams registered for the competition in four different events: Drone Pilot Relay Race, DASH Coding Maze Race, STEAM Trivia, and Building a Bridge with Lego. The event will be held at the St. Pius X Youth Center on March 27, from 9:00 am to 2:00 pm. The teams include all 10 of our parish and diocesan schools, as well as the IWA Elementary Level.
 
Each team has four students who may be in the same or different grades, along with a teacher. The various levels – elementary, middle, and high school – will compete in the same events but with standards adjusted for students’ ages. “The students are very excited,” says Garcia. They knew the disciplines in advance and were able to prepare themselves.
 
Phillips 66 is covering the costs for custom T-shirts, awards, refreshments, and lunch for all students, teachers, and judges. Garcia hopes that this STREAM competition will become an annual highlight on the Catholic Schools’ calendars.