April 24, 2026
On April 14 and 15, after a nearly eight‑week learning process, 8th grade students in Mr. Kelchner’s science classes presented their sustainable building design projects to a panel of professional engineers. 🏢
The winning group was selected by a guest engineer acting in the role of the building owner. The team included Lincoln Barnette, Katelyn Brecht, Victoria Haupt, and Joey Serafini.
These students presented their design with impressive knowledge and professionalism, incorporating extensive research on a variety of innovative “smart features.” Their proposal included an outdoor terrace and shifting facades that required complex calculations of total square footage. The group also integrated a wide range of carefully selected energy‑saving systems and modern amenities while still remaining under the project’s $20 million budget.
Their “design firm” ultimately won the contract by clearly demonstrating how their systems would reduce operating costs through decreased electricity and water usage. They supported their recommendations with calculated cost reductions to justify each design choice. In addition, the group went above and beyond by consulting professional environmental scientists to learn about stormwater drainage, erosion control, and the use of porous concrete.
Among several prizes, the winning students will have their names engraved on the classroom trophy that recognizes all past winners of the competition. 🏆
A sincere thank you goes out to the guest judges who generously shared their time and expertise over the two‑day event. Judges included Eric Fedder, 2005 SCA Valedictorian, architectural engineer, and senior project manager for Project Management Advisors Inc. (San Diego, CA); John Kelchner, retired electrical engineer and former President and CEO of Citizens’ Electric Power Company (Lewisburg, PA); and Noah Blusius, SCA alumnus, architectural engineer, and project engineer for Alexander Building Company (Harrisburg, PA).
Congratulations to all 8th grade students for their outstanding effort, teamwork, and success on this rigorous, real‑world engineering challenge. 🏫
The winning group was selected by a guest engineer acting in the role of the building owner. The team included Lincoln Barnette, Katelyn Brecht, Victoria Haupt, and Joey Serafini.
These students presented their design with impressive knowledge and professionalism, incorporating extensive research on a variety of innovative “smart features.” Their proposal included an outdoor terrace and shifting facades that required complex calculations of total square footage. The group also integrated a wide range of carefully selected energy‑saving systems and modern amenities while still remaining under the project’s $20 million budget.
Their “design firm” ultimately won the contract by clearly demonstrating how their systems would reduce operating costs through decreased electricity and water usage. They supported their recommendations with calculated cost reductions to justify each design choice. In addition, the group went above and beyond by consulting professional environmental scientists to learn about stormwater drainage, erosion control, and the use of porous concrete.
Among several prizes, the winning students will have their names engraved on the classroom trophy that recognizes all past winners of the competition. 🏆
A sincere thank you goes out to the guest judges who generously shared their time and expertise over the two‑day event. Judges included Eric Fedder, 2005 SCA Valedictorian, architectural engineer, and senior project manager for Project Management Advisors Inc. (San Diego, CA); John Kelchner, retired electrical engineer and former President and CEO of Citizens’ Electric Power Company (Lewisburg, PA); and Noah Blusius, SCA alumnus, architectural engineer, and project engineer for Alexander Building Company (Harrisburg, PA).
Congratulations to all 8th grade students for their outstanding effort, teamwork, and success on this rigorous, real‑world engineering challenge. 🏫