Harrisburg, PA - The Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE) today highlighted the regional winners of the ninth annual Governor’s STEM Competition. This year’s competition marks the first in-person competition since 2019. Twenty regional winning teams from across the Commonwealth displayed and demonstrated their projects for year’s theme, “Innovating the Commonwealth through Collaboration and Computing.”
“The Pennsylvania Department of Education applauds this year’s STEM Competition winners and appreciates all of the teams that participated,” said Acting Secretary of Education Dr. Khalid N. Mumin. “The thought and innovation that went into this year’s projects continues to show us why Pennsylvania has long been seen as a national leader in STEM. The Commonwealth is fortunate to have such talented, knowledgeable, and creative students.”
Facilitated by the Pennsylvania Department of Education (PDE), the Governor’s STEM Competition challenges and engages students from high schools around the Commonwealth to create teams that work together during the school year to research, design, and present a device or project that can help improve the lives of Pennsylvanians and fulfill real-world needs.
This year, a total of 62 teams submitted projects for consideration. The top 20 teams represent 14 different intermediate units across Pennsylvania, and will demonstrate or display their STEM-related projects for peer review and selection as “People’s Choice Award” in the Governor’s STEM Competition.
The top 20 teams in the 2023 Governor’s STEM Competition included:
- Berwick Area Senior High School, Berwick Area School District (Team A)
- Berwick Area Senior High School, Berwick Area School District (Team B)
- Bishop Shanahan High School, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Carlisle High School, Carlisle Area School District
- Central Cambria High School, Central Cambria School District
- Conestoga High School, Tredyffrin/Easttown School District
- Downingtown STEM Academy, Downingtown Area School District
- East Stroudsburg High School North, East Stroudsburg Area School District
- Exeter Township Senior High School, Exeter Township School District
- Fox Chapel Area High School, Fox Chapel Area School District
- Garnet Valley High School, Garnet Valley School District
- Hollidaysburg Area Senior High, Hollidaysburg Area School District
- Parkland High School, Parkland School District
- Pennridge High School, Pennridge School District
- The Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School
- Pottstown High School, Pottstown School District
- Waynesboro Area Senior High School, Waynesboro Area School District
- Wilson High School, Wilson School District
- Whitehall High School, Whitehall-Coplay School District
- Wyoming Area Secondary Center, Wyoming Area School District
Of the top 20 finalists, a total of eight winning teams will receive one time scholarship payments for placing as Grand Champion, First Runner Up, Second Runner Up, or Third Runner Up.
In addition to his plan to increase funding for computer science and STEM education through PASmart by 25 percent to support innovative education initiatives and practices for Pennsylvania learners, Governor Shapiro’s 2023-24 budget proposal includes an increase of $567.4 million for basic education funding.
More information on the Governor’s STEM Competition is available on PDE’s website.