After months of preparation, it was finally time for students in Grades 9 and 10 at Collège Champittet to show off their originality and problem-solving skills at the Champittet STEAM Fair. “Teamwork in Space” has been the theme for secondary students this year, under the inspiring framework provided by the school’s collaboration with MIT. From Artemis II to private space flights, space exploration has been a recurring theme in the news – but we are still a long way off from taking human civilisation beyond Earth. Or are we? Just how inhospitable are the extreme conditions of space? And what would it take to make life sustainable in such an environment? Those are just some of the questions that Champittet students have been asking themselves in preparation for the STEAM Fair in April. Working in teams, their challenge was to propose innovative ways to live in extreme environments. Young scientists explored how to create a life-sustaining microparticle, all while using recycled materials, drawing on their classroom learning and collaborating with peers. Students all brought their enthusiasm and imagination to the task, with a fantastic variety of projects at the STEAM Fair. Extra congratulations go to the winning teams: Inter-class Winners: 9B, 10B and 9A; Inter-team Champions: Les Étoiles du Sahara and Apollo 26. Their projects stood out for their creative presentation and thoughtful response to complex challenges.
Building skills in STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) is important for not only gaining specific subject knowledge but also developing transferable competencies, like critical thinking and problem solving. At Collège Champittet, the STEAM curriculum encourages students to combine their learning from across disciplines in order to tackle a real-world challenge. This experience helps learners to become more confident at thinking outside the box, expressing their own ideas and working with others to find a solution – valuable skills for success in school and in life. Well done to all students who embraced this year’s STEAM challenge and turned curiosity into innovation!
