First Mesa Elementary places 3rd at NASA competition

POLACCA, Ariz.

First Mesa Elementary’s gifted and talented class took a first step into robotics by participating in NASA’s Apollo Next Giant Leap Student Challenge, a contest commemorating the 50th anniversary of the first human moon landing.

The event was hosted by Northern Arizona University’s Center for Science Teaching and Learning.

First Mesa Elementary competed against other schools from Arizona, California, and Indiana. Teams as far away from Hong Kong also participated.

The challenges included flying a drone to land a lunar module on a moon replica, placing a payload to leave behind on the moon, and completing scientific collection and analysis of moon rock. All tasks had to be completed within 10 minutes.

The teams were then interviewed to evaluate use of teamwork and collaboration.

First Mesa’s students created a cardstock model of the Eagle Module to land on the moon. They also fashioned a wooden disc payload with an image of Walpi Village’s famous Snake Rock. It was engraved with Neil Armstrong’s famous moon landing quote transcribed in the Hopi Lavayi.

The astronaut’s names were also scribed on the payload they left behind on the moon.

The next important part of the competition involved our Sun Forehead robot. The design was inspired by the team’s understanding of the sun’s distinction in Hopi tradition.

First Mesa’s team consisted of lunar module pilot Thurman Tacheene, officer Antonio Aguleria and Sun Forehead LEGO robotic designer, science and officer Kyah Kuyvaya.

Tachenee piloted the drone and delivered the Eagle module, Aguleria coded the Sun Forehead to deliver the payload and traverse the lunar landscape avoiding craters. Kuyvaya guided the drone and module landings.

It was great to see Hopi students working together as a team to overcome mission challenges.

After a day and a half of competition, First Mesa Elementary was in fourth place and qualified for the final round.

Aguilera completed the mission with seconds to spare. The final mission showcased the First Mesa crew’s ability to communicate and use STEM to complete the mission and had the whole stadium chanting, “Go First Mesa!”

First Mesa Elementary’s team placed third and was overall winner of Arizona’s Mission Patch Contest.

The team thanks the following for their assistance in exploring the moon: NASA, NEESSP – providing the drone/LEGO mindset, Northern Arizona University’s Center for Science Teaching and Learning, First Mesa school administration, school board and maintenance.

In addition, a very special thank you to Francelia Tom, Michelle Powskey, Jack Harding Jr., Clarice Begay and the parents!

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