Twenty teams of middle school students from across northeast Wisconsin will participate in the eighth annual SeaPerch competition at Ashwaubenon Community Pool April 1.
Teams compete with self-built, underwater Remote Operated Vehicles sponsored by the NEW Manufacturing Alliance, North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance, Fincantieri Marine Group, Cruisers Yachts, Einstein Project, and the Navy League. SeaPerch is a comprehensive educational program created to inspire and introduce maritime careers to the future workforce.
SeaPerch exposes students to many careers, such as naval and marine architecture, engineering, and design. The curriculum associated with SeaPerch integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) into learnings.
Ann Franz, executive director of both the NEW Manufacturing Alliance and North Coast Marine Manufacturing Alliance, said, “The competition encourages teamwork, increases self-confidence, and teaches problem-solving skills to overcome real-life challenges.”
Over the years, the organization has invested in free kits for schools to participate in the program. This year the U.S. Navy also sponsored free underwater robotics kits.
The regional competition has teams from the following communities: Ashwaubenon, Clintonville, De Pere, Elkhart Lake, Green Bay, Gresham, Little Chute, Marinette and Washington Island. The top two winners will have the opportunity to go to the International SeaPerch competition taking place on May 13 at the University of Maryland.
SeaPerch is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips teachers and students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle in an in-school or out-of-school setting. Learn more at seaperch.org.
