Vernon hosts STEM competition

Vernon — Vernon Township High School hosted the NJ Interscholastic STEM League Competition for the first year, welcoming students from Pascack Hills, Pascack Valley, Tenafly, Leonia, Westwood, Wallkill Valley, and Northern Highlands High Schools.
The day-long event required students to make Gravity Jousting vehicles according to the parameters given them in design briefs. Each team created a prototype design which they tested in an early round, giving them time to modify designs and vehicles for the Madness of March Tournament Finale. Pascack Valley just edged out Leonia to win the tournament. Judging categories included Prototype, STEM Connection, CAD Drawings, and Presentation.
Ms. Jenn Fowler and her hospitality classes catered the event for seventy people, earning rave reviews for their chicken parm and meatballs, setting the Vernon competition apart from the others.
The NJ Interscholastic STEM League is a grass roots organization designed by middle and high school teachers working together with industry to help students learn how to apply STEM when solving real life problems.
Since its pilot 2014 year, the league has grown from four teams in Bergen County to sixteen teams across northern NJ. The goal to replicate a competitive environment much like that of interscholastic sports inspires STEM teachers to collaborate in designing competitive challenge events that apply science, technology, engineering and math.
The VTHS STEM coaches are Jon Bruno, Roger Foco and Mike DeVore.