A team of Platteview Central Junior High seventh grade students earned an Award of Distinction and a $500 prize in their first year competing in the SAME Omaha Post Student Mentoring Program (SMP) engineering competition.

Seventh grade HAL (Team 3) represented Platteview Central Junior High in the competition, which pairs middle and high school students with professional engineers to solve real-world challenges. The program is designed to spark interest in engineering and architecture while recognizing student achievement from across the Omaha area.

This marked the school’s first year participating in the SMP. Since August, the team of eight students has met regularly to develop their project alongside mentor Stacy Fahrenbruch, gaining valuable experience in problem-solving, design, and collaboration.

Their effort and growth were evident on competition day. The team earned top recognition in both presentation and teamwork, along with an Award of Distinction and a $500 prize. Judges noted the group’s ability to clearly communicate their ideas and work effectively as a team.

This accomplishment reflects months of dedication, creativity, and perseverance, as well as the impact of strong mentorship and hands-on learning opportunities. Following a successful first year, students are already looking ahead with excitement to future participation in the program.