May 17, 2022 - Comal ISD students presented innovative projects which potentially could solve real-world issues at the district’s Third Annual Paradigm Challenge event recently at Davenport High School.
More than 100 students participated in this year’s Paradigm Challenge on March 30, presenting their solutions to global issues such as fire safety, waste reduction and personal health.
The district has been offering this competition for four years as part of the global online competition open to students ages 4 to 18, which was created in 2015 by the Project Paradigm Foundation to challenge students to solve global issues. To participate in the global challenge, eligible students form teams and choose a topic in one of five categories: health, food, waste, fires and biodiversity. They then research and create a project solving a real-world problem within that category. Winners in three different age divisions receive cash prizes to use in developing their ideas, with a grand prize winner receiving $100,000.
At the local level, Comal ISD has hosted its own Paradigm Challenge night, giving students the opportunity to present their projects and receive feedback from audience members, which includes parents and teachers. They are then challenged to take that feedback and revise their projects before submitting to the online competition.
The Life Savers, a fifth-grade team from Indian Springs Elementary School comprised of Addison Alexander, Aubrey Crumley and Eliana Martinez, took second place in the elementary division of the district’s Paradigm Challenge. They created a board game called “House Fires” to teach kids about fire safety in a fun way.
They were encouraged to participate in the Challenge by their teacher, Lisa Blundon. After seeing past winners’ ideas, the students decided they “wanted to create something that would help others.” They used their Coyote Care Time, a flexible time before school starts, to work on their project before presenting it at the district’s challenge night.
First place for elementary went to Team SAID from Specht Elementary School for its Rowaton project. The SES team includes Silas Russel, Aaron Slayton, Ian Welch and Dominic Aleman. Third place went to Clear Spring Elementary team, CSES Saves the World, for its project “Pineapple Pride.” The CSES team includes Anabel Flim, Elizabeth Bautista, Sloan Presland, Addy Hamilton, David Avila and David Sanchez.
In the secondary division, The Fire Ducklings and Slack won first place with their project “Foldable Comfort.” Members include Sara Barlow, Alyssa Walton, Lucy Peters, Belinda Stevens and Kalli Webster. Second place was awarded to Stop, Drop & Roll Industries, made up of Emery Gibbons, Ruth Miller and Charlotte Olivares, for their project “The AF-PS.” Third place went to Violette Yates and Jaelyn Woodward of team JJ, with their Wellness Watch. All winning teams in this division are from Mountain Valley Middle School.
-The Indian Springs Elementary Team called The Life Savers, took second place at Comal ISD’s Paradigm Challenge with its “House Fires” board game. Picture from left is Addison Alexander, Eliana Martinez and Aubrey Crumley.