Month: January 2025

2024 Teacher of the Year

 

Congratulations to the following UConn ECE Instructors were were selected as their district’s teacher of the year.

 

  • William Allik Lyme-Old Lyme High School
  • Matthew DeBacco Rocky Hill High School
  • Jennifer Ewart Thomaston High School
  • Gretchen Hess* Putnam High School
  • Robert Jendrewski Parish Hill High School
  • Rachel Riendeau* Windham Technical High School
  • Abigail Walston The Morgan School

 

*Indicates CT Teacher of the Year Semifinalist

Professional Development Workshops

 

By Caroline Lynch, UConn ECE Graduate Assistant, Master’s Student, UConn, Higher Education and Student Affairs

 

It’s been a busy semester for our certified ECE instructors; as of today (November 8, 2024) we have already had the pleasure of hosting 15 professional development events, both on- and off-campus, in-person and virtual. Instructors from Philosophy, American Studies, Maritime Studies, U. S. History, Medieval Studies, Civil Engineering, Environmen­tal Sciences, Biology, Chinese, Marine Sciences, Music, Economics, Physics, Sustainable Plant and Soil Systems, Sociology, and English, along with our ECE Library Media Spe­cialists, have had the opportunity to connect with their colleagues, faculty coordinators, and the ECE program staff so far this school year! We would like to take the time to highlight some of these incredible events and thank all attendees and organizers for their efforts this semester.

 

September 27, 2024: AMST/MAST/U.S. History at Mystic Seaport

Late September marked the beginning of a new initiative for Early College Experience: interdisciplinary professional develop­ment experiences. Approximately 75 instructors from Maritime Studies, American Studies, and U.S. History convened at Mystic Seaport Museum, where they had the opportunity to explore the Seaport’s current featured exhibit, Entwined: Freedom, Sovereignty, and the Sea, following a discussion by the exhibit’s curator, Dr. Akeia de Barros Gomes. Additionally, instructors engaged in several hands-on sessions around the muse­um property. These included a rope-making activity, a tour of the oldest com­mercial ship still afloat in the U.S., as well as a visit to the museum’s library, where instructors engaged with primary sources which highlighted Connecticut’s rich whaling and maritime history.

 

October 4, 2024: Medieval Studies (HIST 1300) Workshop

To kick off our October events, instructors from Medieval Studies convened on the UConn Storrs campus, to engage in conversation surrounding the Mali Empire in Western Africa with guest speaker Pro­fessor Christine Cooper-Rompato, of Utah State University. Attendees were asked to grapple with their personal connections to the continent, and interacted with a variety of resources (maps, articles, historical documents, videos, etc.) to enhance understanding.

 

October 15, 2024: Environmental Sciences at CAES

Our Environmental Sciences instructors traveled to New Haven, CT for their professional development experience this year. Under the guid­ance of Associate Professor Morty Ortega, the group explored the Connecticut Agricultural Experi­ment Station, and received several informative lectures from resident scientists, including Dr. Scott Wil­liams and Dr. Megan Linske, who both received their Ph.D.’s from the University of Connecticut! Lecture topics included integrated tick management research from Dr. Williams, “Di­versity and Disease: Assessing Backyards for Tick Bite Prevention and Awareness” from Dr. Linske, and Monarch butterfly biology and conservation courte­sy of Dr. Kelsey Fisher.

 

October 18, 2024: Chinese via Webex

Our first virtual PD of the year. Chinese instructors met on Friday, 10/18, and thanks to the virtual modality, they were given the opportunity to hear from Professor Zhiying Qian out of Florida State University. Professor Qian delivered a fascinating lecture on the emerging relationship between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Chinese language instruction.

 

October 23, 2024: Economics Workshop

The UConn Storrs campus hosted our Economics instructors on Wednesday, 10/23, in col­laboration with faculty coordinator Natalia Smirnova, Associate Profes­sor in Residence. The event began with some exciting stories of ECE student successes (congratulations to Cheshire High School for placing 3rd in their Future Business Leaders of America competition!), and brain­storming classroom activities. Several guest speak­ers joined us in the afternoon, including Ariel Slonim, curriculum designer for Marginal RevolutionUniversi­ty, a nonprofit dedicated to providing everyone with a “world-class economic education”, and Mary Claire Peate, a Senior Economic Education Specialist from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

 

October 29, 2024: SPSS Workshop with CIPWG

SPSS instructors were given the opportunity to attend the 12th biennial Symposium for the Con­necticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG), thanks to faculty coordinator Professor Julia Ku­zovkina. CIPWG is an organization committed to mitigating the nega­tive environmental impact of invasive plant species, through educating themselves and others on identi­fication and management of invasive plants, as well as replacement of invasive with native species. The theme of the Symposium was “Real Talk: Making an Impact in Invasive Plant Management”, and attendees were treated to a variety of discus­sions emphasizing the critical role of education in conserva­tion and rooting the discussion of eradicating invasive plant species in local case studies. The day even finished up with a raffle for a collection of potted plants native to the area!

 

October 30, 2024: Physics Workshop and Planetarium Visit

Our annual physics workshop offered a variety of enrichment oppor­tunities for our attendees. First, instructors engaged in valuable discussion on exam format and grading techniques, followed by our main event: a demonstration in the newly renovated Cynthia Wyeth Peterson planetarium. Our workshop marked one of the first uses of the new facility, and we extend thanks to Dr. Matt Guthrie and PhD student Kelcey Davis for al­lowing us into the facility, and for providing a fantas­tic show! Beginning in 2025, regular public shows are set to begin, and several of our attendees left the event excited by the opportunity to bring their students back to campus for a show sometime soon.

 

November 1, 2024: Annual English Conference

Marking our largest event so far this year, we wel­comed just over 100 ECE English instructors to the UConn Storrs campus on Friday, November 1, for a conference entitled “Collaborative Circulation: A Recursive Roadmap”. Attendees attended four breakout sessions in small groups, followed by a panel discussion hosted by UConn English De­partment faculty and guests. Session descriptions were as follows:

  1. Circulation for Brainstorming and Ideation
  2. Circulation of Feedback
  3. Circulation as a Rhetorical Device/Context
  4. Interconnected Circulation: an Activity

 

What an exciting few months we’ve had! Not to mention, we still have events for Communication, Chemistry, Human Rights, Anthropology, and Math to look forward to before the Fall Se­mester comes to a close. To find more information and photo­graphs from these and the rest of our professional development events, please feel free to visit the “ECE PD Blog” on our web­site. Planning for Spring 2025 workshops is well underway, and we plan to post details and dates on the ECE website’s “Dates to Remember” page as soon as possible. Thank you again to all who have attended an ECE event so far this year; it is always a pleasure to connect with our instructors across Connecticut. And to those we haven’t seen yet this year, keep an eye on your email inbox! We look forward to connecting with you and your colleagues very soon. n

Empowering Student Leaders: The Growth of the ECE Ambassador Prog

 

By Christ-Anne Jean-Francois, UConn Student Administrative Assistant

 

Since its inception 9 years ago, the UConn ECE Ambassa­dor Program has grown significantly. This extracurricular opportunity plays a crucial role within the UConn Early College Experience Program, where ambassadors actively assist with ECE marketing and administration, support fellow students, and collaborate with Site Representatives at their high schools. In recent years, we’ve expanded their responsibilities to make them more interactive and present on the front lines of our social media platforms and publications.

This year, we have 35 ECE Ambassadors representing 27 schools across Connecticut. Our ambassadors are primarily seniors, with 30 seniors, 3 juniors, and 2 sophomores mak­ing up this year’s cohort.

 

Some of the initiatives that ambassadors have contributed to recently—and will continue to participate in this year—in­clude the ECE Student Advice Column, where ambassadors share tips and insights for success in the program. They also participate in Ambassador Spotlights, allowing each ambassador to highlight their personal achievements and goals, and showcase their experiences with ECE. Addition­ally, ECE Instagram Takeovers give students a chance to provide a behind-the-scenes look at their daily lives as ECE students, sharing updates, advice, and glimpses into their classes and extracurricular activities.

 

Ambassadors are also involved in semester reports, provid­ing updates on what’s happening in their classrooms and UConn courses. During the fall term, they assist teachers with student registration, supporting a smooth enrollment process.

 

The UConn ECE Ambassador Program is an excellent leadership opportunity, and it’s rewarding to see the impact on our students’ futures. Through our intake process, we’ve learned that all of our ambassadors plan to attend a four-year university after high school. This program not only cultivates leadership skills but also serves as an inspiring pathway for other students who share similar values and aspirations to get involved in their schools and the UConn ECE Program.

Seeds of Success: Nuturing students’ potential through UConn PCS

 

By Abigail Piotrowicz, UConn Pre-College Summer Program Assistant

 

Deciding what comes next after high school can be a daunting task. With so many po­tential paths to take, from college to careers to personal passions, the choices often feel endless. With ten years under our belt since we first opened our doors to students, we at UConn Pre-College Summer, (PCS) under­stand the challenges these questions pose when students are considering their future. That’s why we offer a unique opportunity for high school students from around the world to experience college life, explore new interests, and connect with a vibrant academic community all on the Storrs campus.

 

At UConn PCS, our mission is to provide students with an exploratory experience that helps them engage with college life while reflecting on which path might be right for them. To support this mission, in the last year we have focused on implementing ad­ditional program resources for students and families that are commit­ted to providing a range of opportunities to guide students on their journey toward success.

 

One measure of how we aim to provide our students the greatest number of resources is by offering the most courses our program has offered in its history. This past summer, we offered a to­tal of 29 different courses spanning over sever­al topics and subjects ranging from Agriculture, Health, & Natural Resources, Fine Arts and Digital Media, Engineering, Liberal Arts and Sciences, Phar­macy and Pre-Med.

 

Alongside the vast number of courses offered last summer, UConn PCS offers exploratory workshops for students to engage in during the week to further explore and navigate academic, extracurricular and leadership sources. A few examples of workshop topics offered were “Breaking Down Barriers: You CAN Study Abroad!”, “Leading the Way to Getting an A”, “Promoting Mental Health”, “Nutrition for College Students”, “Mirroring in Communication”, “The Art of Crafting a Compelling College Essay”, “Professor! I Need to Get an A in My Class!”, “Personal Leadership Plan”, “UConn Campus Tour and Information Session”, “Who Am I? The Power of Me?”, “Using Your Voice: Self-Advoca­cy in College”.

Prior to the start of the summer program, UConn PCS introduced its first-ever Open House event in March! Open House was designed to give prospective students and their families a closer look at the program and UConn campus. Attendees had the opportunity to interact directly with UConn PCS instructors, program administrators and former summer residential staff to better understand what participating in the program would encompass.

 

Open House began with a brief presentation for families about the program in Lawrence D. Mchugh Hall, followed by a community Q&A session where participants could submit questions for our team to answer. Afterward, families were invited to have lunch at Israel Putnam Refractory to experience the dining halls where students dine during the summer. Finally, we concluded with a guided tour of the UConn campus, so families could get an insider perspective at the spaces students utilize during their time in the program.

 

In conjunction with our open house event, we were pleased to debut our Career Fair, which brought together program participants, UCo­nn staff, faculty, and professionals from a wide range of fields. This event provided students with valuable career insights, expert advice, and the opportunity to engage directly with industry leaders. It also allowed students to explore potential career paths and gain a clearer understanding of the professional landscape across various disciplines. By interacting with professionals from diverse industries, students acquired practical knowledge and guidance that will support their career development.

 

Each year, UConn PCS is dedicated to helping students discover their passions and reach their full potential. By immersing students in UConn’s campus and academic community, we’ve created a supportive environment for students to grow, explore and discover the possibilities of tomorrow.

 

If you are interested in learning more about UConn Pre-College Summer visit pcs.uconn.edu, call our office at 860-486-0149 and or email us atpcs@uconn.edu

 

Neag School Hosts ECE Day for 116 High School Students

 

By Mikala Kane, Director of Communications & Digital Strategy, UConn Neag School of Education

 

Eight Districts Bring EDCI 1100, EPSY 1100, and EDLR 2001 Students to Storrs

 

In October, the UConn Neag School of Education hosted nine high schools that offer its Early College Experience courses in Storrs for a day. The 116 high schoolers in attendance learned more about the University, the Neag School, and potential ca­reers in education and sport management.

 

“Expanding our Early College Experience courses offered through the Neag School has been a priority for me,” Dean Jason G. Irizarry says. “In 2023-2024, our four courses provided the opportunity to earn college credits to 669 high schoolers in 25 districts. I’m thrilled Neag School faculty and staff organized an ECE Day for some of the students currently enrolled in our courses.”

 

Irizarry kicked off the day’s program, welcoming students and teachers from Bristol, East Hampton, Enfield, Farmington, Mil­ford, New Britain, Plainville, and Trumbull. All either teach or take EDCI 1100: If You Love It, Teach It; EDLR 2001: Contem­porary Issues in Sport; or EPSY 1100: Introduction to Special Education.

The group then heard an overview of the Neag School from ECE faculty coordinators and professors, as well as Assistant Director of Student Support Dominique Battle-Lawson and Academic Advisor Sydnee Jones.

 

“The Neag School continues to prioritize Early College Experi­ence as an opportunity to connect with high school students,” says assistant professor in residence Danielle DeRosa, who is also one of the School’s ECE faculty coordinators. “We want­ed the opportunity to bring ECE students who are taking our courses to campus so they could get a taste for campus life and learn more about the Neag School.”

 

Around midmorning, students enjoyed tours of campus and the athletics facilities before attending one of two panels: either about the Integrated Bachelor’s/Master’s Teacher Education Program or the Sport Management Program.

 

Both panels were organized and led by current Neag School students. Cece Echevarria ’25 (ED), ’26 MA; Anneliese Ide ’26 (ED), ’27 MA; Eben Hikade ’25 (ED), ’26 MA; Brynn Madonna ’25 (ED), ’26 MA; and Logan McCallum Laval ’24 (ED), ’25 MA spoke on the teach­er education panel, while Paige Bjerke ’26 (ED), Teddi Ferraro ’25 (ED), Jake Steinberg ’26 (ED), Donte’ Carter ’26 (ED), and Ava Inesta ’26 (ED) offered insight as part of the sport management panel.

 

“The students asked insightful questions that allowed current Neag School students to share their advice and experiences of what to expect from both the University and our programs specifically,” says McCallum Laval, who also helped coordinate and host the day’s activities. “We hope to continue this event for years to come.”

“We hope the high school students and their teachers were able to learn more about UConn, the Neag School, and our programs, faculty, staff, and current students,” says Ann Traynor, assistant dean and certification offi­cer for the Neag School.

 

“Neag Day was an invaluable experience for my stu­dents,” says Molly Anderson, an educator from Jona­than Law High School in Milford. “The visit sparked an excitement about life after high school, and my students are still talking about it. It’s undoubtedly one of the highlights of being part of the Neag School’s ECE community.”

 

UConn ECE Student Events During the Fall 2024 Semester

 

By Jessica Dunn

 

This map of Connecticut highlights the high schools that participated in UConn ECE student events during the Fall 2024 semester. Each marker represents a school that sent students to a specific event, providing a visual representation of regional participation across the state. The map also reflects the diverse range of schools involved, from urban centers to rural areas, illustrating the broad engagement in these student events offered so far this year. The widespread participation is a testament to the dedication of UConn ECE Instructors and Students and their commitment to excellence and growth. We look forward to expanding our reach and encourage all high schools to take advantage of the valuable opportunities available to students across various disciplines.

 

 

2024 UConn ECE German Immersion Day and Quiz Bowl

 

By Jessica Dunn

 

On November 20th, the UConn ECE Program Office, in collaboration with Dr. Anke Finger, the UConn ECE German Faculty Coordinator, hosted an exciting and educational student event: the UConn ECE German Immersion Day & Quiz Bowl. This event marked the culmination of UCo­nn ECE’s Fall 2024 Language Days series, offering students a unique opportunity to enhance their language skills in Italian, French, and German, while also celebrating the rich cultural traditions associated with each language.

 

The German day began with a warm welcome from Dr. Anke Finger, who introduced the event’s format and expressed her excitement for the day’s activities. She welcomed all the participating high schools from across the state to UConn. The event brought in a diverse group of students, with the closest attendees from neighboring E.O. Smith High School, followed by East Lyme High School, and schools from the southwest corner of the state, including Staples High School and Wilton High School.

 

Dr. Finger’s opening remarks were followed by an eye-opening keynote address from Isabel Sterett, a senior in UConn’s Materials Science and Engineering (MSE) program, who shared her personal experience studying abroad in Germany. Isabel, who had never studied German before coming to UConn, recounted her transformative journey as part of UConn’s EUROTECH program. She spoke about her time in Germany, where she studied both German and engineering, participated in an internship, and explored German culture through activities like attending Oktoberfest, skiing in the Swiss Alps, and visiting landmarks in Berlin. Her internship at BMW’s additive manufacturing campus in Munich also provided invaluable international experience, emphasizing the benefits of pursuing degrees and careers with a global perspective.

Following the keynote, students participated in smaller immersion sessions led by Graduate Assis­tants in the UConn German Department. Students explored get-to-know games in German and learned about some of the teaching approaches in the program. Dr. Finger then led a short career session, highlighting over 150 German companies in Connecticut eager to offer internships and hire program graduates.

 

Just as the career discussion wrapped up, a surprise visit from Jonathan XIV and Jonathan XV brought excitement to the event. The dogs, on their daily walk through campus, stopped by the theater to greet attendees, creating the perfect transition before the afternoon’s head-to-head com­petition.

 

The highlight of the day was the highly anticipated Quiz Bowl, where teams of students tested their knowledge of German language, history, and culture. The Quiz Bowl consisted of six rounds of competition where each team played against each other twice. Teams from East Lyme High School, Staples High School, and Wilton High School competed fiercely, vying for the top spots.

In the championship round, Staples High School emerged vic­toriously, earning 1st place with 14 points. Wilton High School secured 2nd place with 9 points, while East Lyme High School rounded out the top three with 3rd place and 4 points. The event not only celebrated academic achievements, but also fostered a sense of community and cultural exchange among students from different regions of Connecticut.

 

The UConn ECE German Immersion Day & Quiz Bowl exem­plified UConn’s dedication to enriching students’ educational experiences and encouraging global awareness. Through en­gaging activities like the Quiz Bowl and inspiring presentations like Isabel’s keynote, students gained valuable insights into the importance of language learning and the benefits of an interna­tional perspective.

 

 

 

2024 UConn ECE French Immersion Day and Quiz Bowl

 

By Jessica Dunn

 

On November 14, 2024, the University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience (ECE) Program Office along with UConn ECE French Faculty Coordinator, Dr. Florence Marsal, hosted the annual French Immersion Day & Quiz Bowl on the UConn Storrs Campus. This year’s event had over 120 students attend representing nine different UConn ECE partner high schools across Connecticut. We welcomed students from Coventry High School, Daniel Hand High School, Glastonbury High School, Lewis S. Mills High School, New Fairfield High School, Wilton High School, Bristol Eastern High School, Jonathan Law High School, and Norwich Free Academy.

 

Students started the day in the Student Union Theatre where they heard from OECP Executive Director, Christopher Todd; the Literatures, Cultures, and Languages Department Head, Dr. Jennifer Terni; and the UConn ECE French Faculty Coordinator and host, Dr. Florence Marsal. Chris welcomed students and instructors to Storrs with a brief commentary on the intertwined histories of the United States and France, particularly the shared revolutionary ideals of the late 18th Century, and the significant cultural, political, and intellectual exchanges which have shaped their paths as modern democracies. Dr. Terni spoke about Technopole, the UConn dual degree in French and engineering that offers great opportunities to travel and internship in France, while Dr. Marsal individually welcomed each participating high school, and provided them with guidance on how the event would unfold. Students were encouraged to take advantage of the opportu­nity to interact with the UConn French Teaching Assistants during the morning immersion sessions, to collaborate with their peers from across the state, and to bring their best to the afternoon’s Quiz Bowl competition.

 

It was evident students were excited to be at the event, and to share their passion for learning the French lan­guage. After the morning immersion sessions where students discussed a wide variety of topics, such as comedy, paintings, BookTubers, European travel, the Breton regional identity, and fairy tales, they mental­ly prepared themselves for the jeopardy-style Quiz Bowl Competition in the afternoon. To accommodate the higher number of teams who entered the competition than in years past, Dr. Marsal shifted the format of the competition. Instead of single elimination rounds, each team competed a minimum of two times this year. The teams who achieved the highest number of correct answers advanced to the next round.

 

This format allowed all teams to be on stage and in the spotlight at least twice, which was a great improvement from years past, but it did create very close competition! After the first rounds, five teams were tied for the most correct answers and one team with over double that number of correct answers. Norwich Free Academy was deemed the Champion with the most correct answers after the first rounds. The competition then continued with single representatives from each of the five high schools coming to center stage to battle for second and third place.

 

Teams were eliminated one by one as rounds progressed, leaving Bristol Eastern High School and Glastonbury High School bat­tling for their positions. In the last minutes of the competition, Bristol Eastern came out on top, taking home 2nd place and Glastonbury High School took home 3rd place.

 

 

2024 UConn ECE Italian Immersion Day and Quiz Bowl

 

By Jessica Dunn

 

On October 24, the University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience (ECE) Program Office along with UConn ECE Italian Faculty Coordinator, Dr. Tina Chiappetta-Miller, hosted the highly anticipated 3rd annual Italian Immersion Day & Quiz Bowl. The event, which took place at UConn’s Storrs campus in the Student Union Theatre, set a record for participation. Over 100 students from six high schools across Connecticut came together for a day of competitive fun, language immersion, and cultural celebration.

 

At this year’s event we welcomed students from Bristol Central High School, Newington High School, Plainville High School, Holy Cross High School, Torrington High School, and Southington High School. After the welcoming remarks, the students broke up into several small groups to sit in on Ital­ian language classes with UConn graduate teaching assistants. This unique opportunity to experience college learning in an authentic college environment is a highlight of the partnership between UConn’s ECE program and Connecticut high schools.

 

After lunch, the head-to-head showdown of the Quiz Bowl took center stage in the theatre, where the atmosphere was electric. Excitement among the students was clear as teams answered questions cover­ing everything from grammar and vocabulary to Italian history and geography. The competition was tight and in the end a tiebreaker was needed to separate 2nd and 3rd place.

Holy Cross High School finished in first place, Bristol Central High School in second, and third place went to Pla­inville High School. The MVP round was also quite lively, with Luis Hysen­llari of Plainville High School taking home the medal.

 

UConn ECE Italian Immersion Day & Quiz Bowl serves as an important opportunity for high school students to deepen their understanding of the culture while strengthening their lan­guage skills in Italian. With about 15 high schools in Connecticut offering ECE Italian as part of their curriculum this year, it was inspiring to see so many students and instructors in attendance, celebrating their shared passion for the language.

 

We are so pleased that this event continues to grow in popularity. As part of our mission to foster a strong community of students and educators dedicated to advancing their understanding of Italian language and culture, we look forward to bringing it to you every year. The experience is not only an academic challenge but also an unforgettable cultural exchange that leaves partici­pants with lasting memories and a deeper appreciation of Italian.

 

Congratulations to the 2024 winners and many thanks to all this year’s participants.

 

 

 

2024 UConn ECE Cardboard Boat Race: Chariots Afloat

 

By Jessica Dunn

 

On Friday, September 20, 2024 UConn ECE hosted our annual UConn ECE Cardboard Boat Race at the UConn Avery Point Campus drawing just over 400 attendees in­cluding students and instructors from 12 different UConn ECE high school partners from across the state. We were also joined by UConn Avery Point and Storrs Administrators, faculty, and staff, and a very special Guest of Honor, Jonathan XV!

 

With an energetic crowd and a packed agenda of academ­ic presentations, the event was a true celebration of both scholarship and creativity. We are grateful for the unwav­ering support of our UConn ECE partners and colleagues who make this event possible year after year.

The day began with a warm welcome from Chris Todd, Executive Director of the Office of Early College Programs, and Dan Mercier, Director of Academic Affairs at UConn Avery Point. Their inspiring remarks set the tone for the day and encouraged students to embrace the opportunities to collaborate with their peers and engage in collegiate experiences.

 

After the welcome, students transitioned from the beautiful Gazebo Lawn, overlooking the mouth of the Thames River, to the classroom where they heard from distinguished UConn Faculty. Presentations covered a variety of topics related to the event, such as engineering, politics, history, and archaeology. The morning sessions featured:

  • Professor Kroum Batchvarov – Black Sea MAP Project
  • Professor Matthew McKenzie – Navigating the Past: A Seafarer’s Approach to Studying History
  • Professor Frank Griggs – Maritime Politics: Making Waves of Progress?
  • Professor David Giblin – Engineering a Cardboard Race Boat: A detailed look at the mechanics, constraints, trade-offs, and decision-making.

These sessions helped students dive deep into the academic topics related to maritime studies, engineering, and more setting them up for the afternoon’s hands-on competition.

 

The theme for this year’s race was “Chariots Afloat”, in honor of the Paris 2024 Olympics and as a fun nod to the iconic movie Chariots of Fire. Students arrived prepared, having carefully designed and built boats made solely of cardboard and duct tape. They also came up with creative boat names to fit the theme. Just as we had hoped, the students came to the event well-prepared and determined to persevere in the infamous Cardboard Boat Race.

 

Among the twelve participating high schools, 24 boats competed for the coveted Cardboard Trophy. The Morgan School had proudly displayed the trophy for the past two years hoping to bring it back home for the third year in a row. Although the competition was tight, and The Morgan School placed in two of the four heats, Daniel Hand High School broke their streak and brought home the Cardboard Trophy as the winners of the Championship Race! Daniel Hand High School’s Usain Boat set the record for the fastest completion time during the initial heats, and then took first in the Championship race as well. They will display the Cardboard Trophy until next year, when a plaque with their school and boat name will be affixed to the trophy, and then be passed along to the 2025 Champions!

 

Thank you to all our UConn ECE partners for your support in making this event a success year after year. Kicking off the school year with over 400 UConn ECE Students on our UConn Avery Point Campus is a true testament to the strength of our community and to the dedicated and passionate students we serve. Congratulations to all participating schools and teams!

 

Heat 1 Trophies

#1 The Narwheel – Bethel High School

#2 Fish N’ Chips – Ledyard High School

#3 ROB (Recycled Olympic [village] Bed) – Daniel Hand High School

 

Heat 2 Trophies

#1 Gold Medal Cruiser – The Morgan School

#2 Banana Keel – Ellington High School

#3 Seiugis – Bethel High School

 

Heat 3 Trophies

#1 The Floating Scotsman – Ellington High School

#2 LeBoat James – Manchester High School

#3 Steeple Chasers – East Granby High School

 

Heat 4 Trophies

#1 Usain Boat – Daniel Hand High School

#2 Socra-Seas (SS) – Bethel High School

#3 Poseidon’s Champion – The Morgan School

 

Championship Race Usain Boat – Daniel Hand High School

Best Visual Design Award Rowe v Wave – Daniel Hand High School

Best Boat Name Award Sorcra-Seas (SS) – Bethel High School

Interdisciplinary Collaboration Award – Daniel Hand High School

People’s Choice Award Trident’s Point – University High School