OB Challenge Students and Engineers without Borders Partner at Princeton

Members of Old Bridge Township Public School’s gifted and talented program, Challenge, along with their teachers Larry Lawrence and Jennifer Washburn, and elementary guidance counselor Jean Czarkowski, recently traveled to Princeton University, where they worked with members of the Princeton University Chapter of Engineers Without Borders.

According to the chapter’s website, Engineers Without Borders at Princeton University is made up of students “dedicated to creating a positive change in the world.” Their members major in everything from chemical and mechanical engineering, to economics and anthropology. Their website states that the students “share the common goal of using their education to help developing communities around the globe.”

While at the university, the fifth grade students attended a brief lecture explaining the group’s efforts to bring safe drinking water to remote villages in Peru, Haiti, and Kenya. Following the presentation, the youngsters participated in a STEM (Science Technology Engineering Mathematics) challenge to simulate the expenses and difficulties of providing water for a small rural community. The 29 youngsters worked collaboratively in one of the Engineering Department’s state-of-the-art classrooms and received tips from the Princeton Engineering students.

In addition, they had a photo opportunity with the Princeton Tiger mascot and Kristy Yeung, Engineers Without Borders co-director of outreach, led two groups of youngsters on a snowy campus tour.

The district’s Challenge program is made up of third, fourth and fifth graders from Old Bridge’s 12 public elementary schools. They attend the program once a week and participate in activities from thematic units that cover all subjects from the curriculum. Projects emphasize creativity, collaboration, problem solving, and exploration of the design process.

Press Release-Lori Luicci, public relations coordinator