South Elementary Feeder Schools Team is Top 20 Finalist for Battle of the Brains

Battle of the Brains Team
Shawnee Mission School District

The red carpet was rolled out for a team of fifth graders from Brookwood, Brookridge, Diemer, Oak Park-Carpenter, Rosehill, Trailwood and a home-schooled student. Their exhibit proposal, “Good Vibrations,” was selected as a Top 20 Finalist in Burns & McDonnell’s Battle of the Brains. See the video.

The Battle of the Brains bus arrived at Brookwood to make the surprise announcement. Team members boarded the bus and were treated to banners, medals, and treats.

The Good Vibrations team needs your vote at www.botbkc.com/vote. The public vote counts for 30 percent of the final selection. Voting ends at 11:59 p.m. on November 22.

Polly Krapes, Brookwood’s Enhanced Learning Educator, is the coach and mentor for the team. She shared the team’s concept that features exploration of sound and how it is created.

“The exhibit will show people the impact that sound and music have on their daily lives,” Krapes explained.

“It’s designed to inform the wide spectrum of visitors about the STEM concepts surrounding sound and music. Sound and music are incredibly important subjects because they are our main way of communicating and expressing emotions,” Krapes said.

This year there were 840 entries in this annual STEM competition. The Brookwood team was one of 10 elementary and 10 secondary finalists. Each top 20 finalist team is guaranteed to win a piece of the $155,000 in grant money to use toward STEM education. The grand-prize winning team gets to transform their winning idea into a $1 million permanent exhibit at Science City.

Battle of the Brains Bus