Make sure to visit the STEM Tent

Make sure to visit the STEM Tent at the Unionville Community Fair

By Marcella Peyre-Ferry Staff Writer

For something fun and educational, be sure to visit the STEM tent staffed by students from the Unionville-Chadds Ford First Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics teams.

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) education is an important part of the curriculum in the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District, with robotics teams as a related feature. Students can start as early as kindergarten and first grade with FIRST LEGO League Junior. Children can join at any age level with FIRST Lego League for children in second through sixth grade and FTC for students in seventh through twelfth grades.

At the youngest level, FIRST Lego Junior is focused on building with blocks. The skill level accelerates quickly in FIRST Lego League where students work with mechanical pieces and programming. In FTC, teams must build a robot that will be able to take on the challenges of competition.

“They can join at any time - they don’t have to join from the beginning. They don’t have to have experience in robotics or programming, or mechanical attitude. You just need to want to try STEM,” said Natalia Duchini, the robotics coordinator for the school district.

Duchini has a personal interest in the program as well because her daughters are members of an FTC team. Their different personalities demonstrate how FTC can appeal to students with a wide range of interests and talents.

“One is into engineering while the other is more about human rights and helping the less advantaged,” Duchini said. “We embrace every single kid. You can participate in the program from different angles. We have kids that love programming— they are great for that part of the program. There are kids that are more inclined toward building, then you have other kids that love volunteering or community events and you have that outreach part of the program. Everyone has a home.”

For the FTC teams, there is an element of competition that helps the students set goals and work together toward success with their robots.

“The idea is to create something similar to football or any other sport with competition, but for other children that love more science,” Duchini said. “One of the core values of FIRST is collaboration. It’s about helping each other and making the community better.”

Each year the challenge the robots must address in competition

Courtesy photos

In addition to the robotics table, there will be a number of hands-on activities visitors can try which focus on STEM skills, particularly those that can be related to agriculture.

24 Fall 2019 • Unionville Community Fair

is different. This year, the robots must master a ring toss and positioning a wobble ball in a specific place.

“In FTC they get judged. They have to explain how they designed the robot and how it does what it does. They also have to explain the outreach they did in the community to promote the FIRST program,” Duchini said.

Teams first participate in qualifier events in order to qualify to move on to regional competition. Regional winners go to the state level competition. If successful there, the state winners move on to compete in the world championship.

Unionville Chadds Ford has done extremely well in FTC competition. Currently there are three teams with a fourth being formed. Last year, the district had two winning teams in the state competition that would have gone on to the world championship in Detroit if the competition had not been canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was kind of a bummer, but they did phenomenal. We have very strong teams in the district,” Duchini said.

The FTC teams’ involvement in the fair is part of the outreach aspect of the program. That includes participating in events such as the Unionville Fair. Roughly 40 student FTC team members and 10 adult coaches have volunteered to staff the STEM tent this year.

“We do a lot of activities to promote not only First Tech Challenge, but also STEM,” Duchini said.

The main attraction will be a demonstration of the teams’ robots’ abilities followed by a chance for visitors of all ages to operate the robots and take on the same challenge the teams built them to address. This year it will be the ring toss, while in past years robots have focused on sorting objects by size, building a tower, and more.

In addition to the robotics table, there will be a number of hands on activities visitors can try which focus on STEM skills, particularly those that can be related to agriculture.

As a part of their community outreach efforts, the FTC teams have brought in partners from the community to help with the STEM activities. This year DuPont is assisting with activities for children that are related to what the company does in their agriculture department.

Parents will have fun too. They can also drive the robots and participate in the activities. “The other side of it is they can learn about the program,” Duchini said. She realizes the fair draws visitors from a wide area beyond the Unionville-Chadds Ford School District. “They can maybe look in their school district because it’s more than Unionville. We give them the contact for the team in their district, or they can go to the website and find out more.”

The fun of participating in the robotics teams encourages students to become involved in other STEM areas.

“The kids that participate in the program end up taking more STEM classes in school and pursue a STEM major at college and go on to a STEM career,” Duchini said.

There are $80 million in scholarships available for students in the program nationwide.

“A few years ago one of our students got a full scholarship to go to Northeastern University,” Duchini said.

The main attraction will be a demonstration of the teams’ robots’ abilities followed by a chance for visitors of all ages to operate the robots.

Approximately 40 student FTC team members and 10 adult coaches have volunteered to staff the STEM tent this year.

Fall 2021 • Unionville Community Fair 25

2019 UNIONVILLE COMMUNITY FAIR CONTEST WINNERS

Homemade Chocolate Cake 1st - Terry Hawkins 2nd - Lyndsay Pomponi 3rd - Robin Liebold

PA Preferred Junior Baking Cookies, Brownies & Bars 1st - Addison Pomponi 2nd - Adeline Christian 3rd - Alexandra Baird

Homemade Wine White Wine 1st Place & Best of Show - Andrea Gosselin Red Wine 2nd - Andrea Gosselin Most Attractive Packaging 1st - Andrea Gosselin

Homemade Beer

Jeremy Barr

Family

The Wallace Family Cindy, Katrina, & Cameron

Youth Katrina Wallace

Robert Struble Award Cameron Wallace

David Whenry Award Gary Cwyk

Angel Food Cake 1st-Emily Cwyk 2nd-Cindy Wallace

Blue Ribbon Apple Pie 1st - Jodi Rosenthal-Young 2nd - Leona Provinski 3rd - Anna & Melissa Cornacchio 4th - Troy W. Ray

2nd Annual Farm Show 5k Jose Maciel - 17:42 Chad Hall - 19:36 Lee Stoltzfus - 20:36 Fastest Female Runner Kaitlyn Wahl - 22:35

Lip Sync Contest Elementary Division 1st Place & Best of Show - Sriya Kallat 2nd - The Oldies Girls – Emily Gregory & Poppy Hannum 3rd - The Country Trio – Chloe Taylor, Ashlyn Pifer & Mia Baroni Middle School Division 1st - Elsa Pinzaldo 2nd - Allison & Co. 3rd - The Big Peppas

2020 TASTE OF THE FAIR BAKING CONTESTS Chocolate Cake Contest- 12 cakes 1st - Emily Cwyk 2nd - Addison Twesten 3rd - Julia McDonnell 4th - Addison Pomponi Apple Pie Contest- 10 pies 1st - Anne Nuse 2nd - Lauren DeMarco & Sarah Longwill 3rd - Melissa Cornacchio 4th - Elysa Taylor

Contest Winners and Pumpkin Contest

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PUMPKIN CONTESTS

Rules and Regulations

1. The general Rules and Regulations of the Fair apply to this contest. 2. Pumpkins must be real, no plastic or synthetics materials. 3. Entries will be received in the Exhibit Barn on Wednesday. Judging will be Thursday morning. 4. Exhibitors must register and obtain an exhibitor number. 5. The fair is CLOSED to everyone except judges and authorized Fair personnel until the Fair opens on Friday. 6. Pumpkins may not be removed until the Fair closes on Sunday afternoon.

Classes Pumpkin Face Painting, Decorating (NO carving)

2200 Pre-School – First grade 2201 Second grade – Third grade 2202 Fourth grade – Fifth grade 2203 Middle School 2204 High School

Pumpkin Carving (NO paint, decorations or added materials) Free Hand Carving

2205 Fourth & Fifth grades 2206 Middle School 2207 High School

Stencil carving

2208 Fourth & Fifth grades 2209 Middle School 2210 High School

Fall 2021 • Unionville Community Fair 27

Contests

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Friday, October 1, 2021, 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Dining Tent Stage Divisions: Elementary, Middle School, High School and Adult. 1st, 2nd & 3rd place ribbons will be awarded in each division. Judges may award a Best of Show Ribbon for Excellence.

Rules and Regulations

1. No entry fee. 2. Lip Sync contestants must dress as favorite singer or group and Lip Sync to a song of their choice. 3. Groups must not exceed 5 persons. 4. All contestants must bring their own music – CDs and iPods only. 5. Contestants will perform one song not to exceed 4 minutes. 6 Judging will be based on appearance, stage presence, choreography and Lip Sync accuracy. 7. Each category will be judged on a scale of 1 to 10 points with the highest possible score being 40 points. 8. The Unionville Community Fair committee reserves the right to refuse unacceptable entries. 9. Registration forms may be picked up at the Fair info. booth or downloaded from the Fair web site – www.ucfair. org 10. Contestants should report to the dining tent by 5:30 pm.

Stay for the Fun Dance & Sing A Long with Dan & Gala. All Ages Welcomed!

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Saturday Oct. 2, 10:00 am – 12:00 pm

Come build a scarecrow from scratch!

Contest Categories:

Elementary (Grades K – 5) Middle School (Grades 6 – 8) High School (Grades 9 – 12) Groups (families, friends or both)

Rules and Regulations

1. If an adult helps with the scarecrow construction, it must be entered under the “Groups” category. 2 Clothes and straw will be provided, however, construction materials, props and accessories may be brought from home. 3. No scarecrows may be started after 11:00 am. 4. Scarecrows must be completed by noon. Judging will be done by the Fair Queen and her court. 5. Scarecrows will be judged on personality, creativity, and quality of construction. 6. Scarecrows must be removed from the fairgrounds by 5:30 pm on Sunday. 7. 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place ribbons will be awarded in each category. A Best of Show may be awarded to the outstanding 1st place winner or the winning group.

Scarecrows must be removed from Fairgrounds by 5:30 pm Sunday or they will be donated to the Fair auction.

28 Fall 2021 • Unionville Community Fair