Dayton Business Journal: Wright State awards full-ride scholarships to 12 students at STEM Challenge

Young students once again had the opportunity to compete for full-ride scholarships at an annual event that pairs basketball with hands-on science ahead of March Madness.

Wright State University hosted The Big Hoopla’s annual STEM Challenge on March 15, just two days before the start of March Madness’ First Four games.

The Hoopla STEM Challenge encourages students in kindergarten through eighth grade to explore through a basketball tournament and interactive exhibits with hands-on science, technology, engineering and math demonstrations.

It also provides an opportunity for 12 of them to win a full-ride scholarship that would support four years at Wright State – an approximately $40,000 investment in their future that will adjust for any future tuition changes.

Eight winners were chosen from the basketball shootout competition — one boy and one girl per age group, and the remaining four were randomly drawn from students who engaged in the majority of the STEM demonstrations.

Hoopla “chaos coordinators” April Pollock and Jesse Grigsby told me that the STEM Challenge moved to the Nutter Center this year, as the event continues to grow in popularity. This year, they told me they had a goal of attracting 1,500 visitors.

Pollock said that 19 STEM exhibits were featured, along with entertainment booths and mascots to keep everyone engaged.

“We’ve got construction, medical, technology companies like Joby Aviation, NASA…[coming to the event],” Grigsby said.

One of the largest exhibits on the main court, Shook Construction, has been involved with the STEM Teacher of the Year Award and the STEM Challenge event since 2019.“While the event showcases some of the great companies in this region, we’re all focused on the students,” Dan Wolking, vice president and Midwest regional manager of Shook Construction, said. “Dayton has a long-standing history of innovation, and strong STEM education will be essential to our future. It’s a great way to give back to the community, help develop our future STEM workforce, and have some fun along the way.”

Wright State hosts the STEM Challenge as a way to introduce students to STEM skills and fields at a young age, with the hope of sparking their interest and encouraging them to pursue a university education in related fields.

With STEM skills being a significant driver of Dayton’s workforce, these events play a vital role in encouraging and building those skills in the local community, contributing to economic growth and development through a long-term investment in the region’s younger population.

Wright State also hosted the Hoopla 4-Miler race on March 15. This four-mile run took participants around the campus, with the start and finish lines both located at the Student Union.

Read the article at bizjournals.com/dayton.