April 2018

AFRL 2018 Challenge Competition

2018 Problem Statement:

AFRL Challenge Competition
Participants:
Optimizing product distribution networks
Central Valley Academy
Teacher: Wes Laurion The Air Force Research
Students: Dakota Turk Laboratory Information
Dale Windecker
Directorate (AFRL/
Frankfort-Schuyler High School RI) and the Griffiss
Teacher: Christopher Snell Institute (GI), once
Students: Roman Shikula again partnered to
John Tofani
hold the 10th Annual Challenge Competition
New York Mills High School during the 2018 Spring recess, as one of their
1ST PLACE: Whitesboro Central High School students
Teacher: Michael Eramo joint STEM initiatives. The weeklong program Maheen Qureshi and Reid Burkdorf, stand with teacher,
Students: Angela Chen was once again “Powered by AT&T.” Stephen Costanza.
Abbey Copperwheat

Rome Free Academy Eight teams from local high schools competed
Teacher: Albert Bangs to win paid summer internships at AFRL/RI and
Students: Chris Incorvaia the GI, as well as Microsoft Surface Pro’s.
Ian Kohli

Sauquoit Valley High School The winners of this year’s competition were
Teacher: Michael Eisinger Maheen Qureshi and Reid Burkdorf, from
Students: Danielle Mangini Whitesboro Central School, taking 1st place (top
Chris Mazza 2ND PLACE: New York Mills Union Free School students
right); Angela Chen and Abbey Copperwheat,
Abbey Copperwheat and Angela Chen, stand with
Thomas R. Proctor High School from New York Mills School, in 2nd place teacher, Michael Eramo.
Teacher: Saing Ung (middle right); and Danielle Mangini and Chris
Students: Toan Phan
Mazza, from Sauquoit Valley School, taking 3rd
Luis Terron
place (bottom right).
Westmoreland Central School
Teacher: Nick Darrah Reid and Maheen will be interning at AFRL/RI
Students: Karsten Bratge over the summer of 2018, while Angela and
Stephen Foley
Abbey will intern at the GI. All three of the
Whitesboro Central High School winning teams received Microsoft Surface Pro’s,
Teacher: Stephen Costanza and the remaining five teams all took home 3RD PLACE: Sauquoit Valley High School teacher
Students: Reid Burkdorf Michael Eisinger, stands with students,
$100 Amazon gift cards! Danielle Mangini and Chris Mazza.
Maheen Qureshi
AFRL STEM
Outreach Program
The goal of the outreach
program is to foster a new
generation of scientists,
mathematicians, engineers
stem science, technology,
engineering & math
The 2018 AFRL Challenge Competition built upon the successes of the previous nine
and technologists who will
competitions, and we anticipate that it will continue to improve each year and offer
one day discover and problem our students many more exciting opportunities.
solve in the nation’s defense
laboratories and other The AFRL Challenge Competition is an they had ever had a problem to solve that
supporting US companies. In annual STEM initiative for local high encompasses what they learn in every
order to achieve this goal there
must be a concerted effort to school students. It is held during a week academic area in school, from Politics, to
connect business, government when students are on a school break and English, to Math and Science.
foundations, institutions of
higher education, professional it’s intent is to provide a more realistic
organizations, schools, teachers view into the types of high tech problems Also for many of the participants, being
and students.
our nation is facing and how engineers able to spend a week bouncing ideas off
Other STEM programs and researchers go about dissecting local engineers is an incredible benefit
available through AFRL’s
STEM Outreach Program:
and solving these problems. The best and opportunity.
explanation to describe the competition
• LEGO Robotics is a “mental marathon”. It gives many of the participants a new
• DimensionU
• Cyber Patriot perspective on the field of engineering
• STEM Summer Programs All the students who participate work and they get to learn a little more about
• Tours of AFRL
for an entire week to solve the challenge the work that takes place at the Air Force
For addition information please problem. Many find that it is the first time Research Lab and Griffiss Institute.
visit the STEM initiatives page
on the Griffiss Institute website:
www.griffissinstitute.org/AirForceSTEM

Many thanks goes out to our

Corporate Sponsors without
whom this competition would
not be possible.

Contact Information:

Jeffrey DeMatteis New York State Senator Joseph A. Griffo, addresses students, Dr. Paul Antonik, Chief Scientist at AFRL/RI, addresses the
Air Force Research Lab teachers, and family members, at the awards ceremony. attendees at the 10th Annual Challenge Competition as the
p: 315-330-7132 Keynote Speaker.
e: RRS.STEM.Outreach@us.af.mil
SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR GENEROUS SUPPORTERS
Tracy DiMeo
Griffiss Institute
p: 315-356-2680

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS

www.griffissinstitute.org/AirForceSTEM