Lakeland students win regional idea, design competition
Lakeland Joint School District's Team Fishtails members, from left, Lucille West, Galena Andrews, Malarie VanTassel, Madelyn West and Avery Myers won first place March 21 during the Idaho Exhibition of Ideas (IDX) Challenge at the University of Idaho in Moscow.
Photo courtesy of Julie Anderson
A team of students attending schools in the Lakeland Joint School District won first place in a regional digital design and fabrication competition centered on 3D printing.
The theme of the 2023 Idaho Exhibition of Ideas Challenge was “the environment,” and Team Fishtails took the top honor after competing against 13 other teams with students in fifth through 10th grades.
Called the “IDX Challenge,” the competition is organized by the Idaho STEM Action Center, a state initiative that provides opportunities for students, teachers and communities to engage in STEM learning activities, which involve science, technology, engineering and math.
“This is just so cool that one of us won,” said Lakeland's Julie Anderson, gifted and talented learning instructor who coached three teams that participated in the challenge.
Fishtails team members wowed the judges with their idea for stopping overfishing in local lakes, rivers and oceans, when they presented their project March 21 at the University of Idaho in Moscow.
The students designed an app and device that would tell fishermen if they caught an endangered species, were overfishing their area or caught any fish they should release.
Team Fishtails comprises students Lucille West, Galena Andrews, Malarie VanTassel, Madelyn West and Avery Myers. They won a 3D printer for their classroom, $250 for supplies for 3D printing and a trophy.