UHV hosts STEM education event for area high school students
Kohl Powell was considering buying an iPad to help him take notes during his first year in college, but after winning first place in a mathematics competition, that’s no longer necessary.
Powell, a senior at Industrial High School, won first place in the senior level of the mathematics competition Tuesday during the University of Houston-Victoria’s Math & Robotics Awareness Day.
“It feels good to win,” Powell said. “This is my first year at this event, and I enjoyed the math test. It’s a cool event, and I appreciate how it promotes STEM and encourages people to go into STEM careers.”
This is the 28th year the university hosted the Math & Robotics Awareness Day events. The event is funded by a grant from Alcoa Foundation and commemorates science, technology, engineering and mathematics disciplines during Mathematics Awareness Month in April.
“It’s exciting to see so many students from across the region come to Math & Robotics Awareness Day,” said Ricardo Teixeira, UHV associate professor of mathematics and chair of the natural sciences and mathematics department. “We’ve been working hard to build relationships with the schools in the region. We hope that this will inspire students to pursue careers in STEM.”
The event was attended by more than 200 students from 12 area high schools, including: Calhoun High School, Cuero High School, Edna High School, Faith Academy, Gonzales High School, Industrial High School, Nixon-Smiley High School, Palacios Junior Senior High School, Riverside Academy, St. Joseph High School, Victoria East High School and Victoria West High School.
In addition to the mathematics competition, students had the opportunity to participate in a computer science competition. They also attended presentations on topics including Computer Graphics and Games, Robots in the Operating Room and a MatheMAGIC presentation.
“This event is one of my favorite things that UHV does,” Teixeira said. “Every year, people from all different departments come together to help make this happen. Their efforts and the continuing support from Alcoa Foundation have made all the difference in reaching students and encouraging them to continue their education.”
The event also featured expo booths presented by Crossroads STEAM Alliance, Inteplast, UHV Enrollment Management, UHV Anatomage Table Demonstration, and the Traveling Touch Bay Tank provided by the Texas Floating Classroom.
First-place winners of the mathematics and computer science competitions each received an iPad. In addition, second- and third-place winners received medals while first-place winners received a trophy. The winners for the computer science contest were:
- First – Kaylee Cooper, Industrial High School
- Second – Blaine Zimmermann, Victoria West High School
- Third – Andrew Schroer, Edna High School
The mathematics tests were divided by grade. The winners of the math contest by grade and high school were:
- Freshmen – Abigail Phillips, Industrial, first; Levi Strauss, St. Joseph, second; Kayden Edwards, Palacios, third
- Sophomores – Lyla Kallus, Industrial, first; Ian Chandler, Edna, second; Levi Feuerbacher, Industrial, third
- Juniors – Cameron Smith, St. Joseph, first; Blake Darilek, Industrial, second; Colton Suter, Cuero, third
- Seniors – Kohl Powell, Industrial, first; Jayden Pothoff, Cuero, second; Eric Ascencio, Gonzales, third.
The University of Houston-Victoria, located in the heart of the Coastal Bend region since 1973 in Victoria, Texas, offers courses leading to more than 50 academic programs in the schools of Arts & Sciences; Business Administration; and Education, Health Professions & Human Development. UHV provides face-to-face classes at its Victoria campus, as well as an instructional site in Katy, Texas, and online classes that students can take from anywhere. UHV supports the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Opportunities for All initiative to increase awareness about state colleges and universities and the important role they have in providing a high-quality and accessible education to an increasingly diverse student population, as well as contributing to regional and state economic development.