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Students up to the challenge at Mundelein STEM competition

Posted April 16, 2023 1:00 am

Daily Herald report

Mundelein High School student Frederick Song works Sunday on the engineering portion of the Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge at Mundelein High School. As part of a challenge called "Shake-It-Off," Frederick were tasked with building a structure that would keep an egg from cracking during a simulated earthquake. Ryan Rayburn for the Daily Herald

Some of Lake County's brightest young minds faced off Sunday during the 9th annual Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge at Mundelein High School.

Hosted by Mundelein Mayor Steve Lentz, the competition featured an individual match competition and a team engineering competition. Winners received cash prized and trophies.

"This event continues to exceed our expectations in terms of student involvement and the support provided by the Mundelein business community," Lentz said ahead of the competition.

Among the challenges Sunday was one called "Shake-It-Off," in which teams of students were given 45 minutes to build a structure that would prevent an egg from cracking during a simulated earthquake.

"My favorite part is the time crunch, because you have to put this together fast," said Mundelein High student Frederick Song, as he and his teammates assembled their structure.

Besides the host school, the competition welcomed students from Mundelein Elementary School District 75, Diamond Lake Elementary District 76, Fremont Elementary District 79 and Carmel Catholic High School.

Launched in 2014, as the Mayor's Cup Math Challenge, the contest has broadened its focus over the past four years to include science, technology, and engineering components.

Judge and teacher John Titterton from Carmel Catholic High School uses a "shake table" to test an entry Sunday during the Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge at Mundelein High School. Students were challenged to build a structure that would keep an egg from cracking during a simulated earthquake. Ryan Rayburn for the Daily Herald

The Mundelein High School team of, left to right, Frederick Song, 17, Caleb Beversdorf, 17, Jonathan Anno, 18, and Jill Kennicott, 17, compete in the "Shake-It-Off" engineering competition Sunday during the Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge at Mundelein High School. Ryan Rayburn for the Daily Herald

Mundelein Mayor Steve Lentz observes the competition Sunday during the 9th annual Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge at Mundelein High School. Ryan Rayburn for the Daily Herald

Students compete in the "Shake-It-Off" engineering competition Sunday during the Mayor's Cup STEM Challenge at Mundelein High School. Ryan Rayburn for the Daily Herald

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