The purpose of this newsletter is to keep you up to date on STEAM programs and activities happening across Sweetwater Union High School District (SUHSD).

If you use Twitter, share and help trend all sweetwater STEAM activities using #sweetSTEAM

STEAM = Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math

There were over 64 teams participating this year at San Diego Mayor's Cyber Cup. Sweetwater Union High School District had four (4) teams. Three (3) of our teams are moving forward to the FINALS to be held on Saturday, April 2nd at the UCSD Super Computer Center. Go sweetCyber!!!

Castle Park High School

Teacher: Daniel Pearson Mentor: Preston Hathaway (SAIC)

Principal: Viky Mitrovich

Eastlake High School

Teacher: Chandra Goodnough Mentor: Nelson Mozzini

Principal: Maria E. Lizarraga

Eastlake Middle School

Teacher: Tara Taylor

Principal: Juan Ulloa

On March 3-5, 2016, four (4) SUHSD FIRST FRC Teams participated at San Diego FIRST Robotics Regional Competition. Details about our teams HERE

Two of our teams received prestigious awards

FIRST FRC Team 2543: TitanBOT

Gracious Professionalism Award ; This award celebrates outstanding demonstration of FIRST Core Values such as working together both on and off the playing field.

Coach: Joel Foust / David Okano

Principal: Maria E. Lizarraga

FIRST FRC Team 5627: π RTZ (Pi-rates)

Imagery Award in honor of Jack Kamen ; This award celebrates attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration of machine and team appearance.

Coach Hector Arias, Coach Jesus Arias, Coach Paul Koniarski, Coach Alec Harley, PR Mentor-Jennifer Hodge

Principal: Lee Romero

FIRST FRC Team 3704: RoboSapiens

Fun Team – Awesome Job Competing

Coach: Hiram Villafana

Principal: Maribel Gavin

FIRST FRC Team 4616: Pharaohs

Great Team – Awesome Job Competing for Chairman’s & Imagery

Coach Bernardo Escobedo; PR Mentor-Sandra Hodge

Principal: Tom Rodrigo

Good Job Castle Park HS Chemists for representing SUHSD this past Wednesday, March 9, 2016 in STEM in your Backyard: Chula Vista.

Congratulations to Mr. Manroe and his students for participating in San Diego Festival of Science and Engineering.

This past weekend, on March 12, 2016, eight (8) qualified SUHSD VEX teams participated in 2015- 2016 California VEX VRC High School State Championship in Pasadena, CA.

Congratulations!!!

Team 507B- Otay Ranch High School Mustangs

received the Robot Create Award

and the Notebook Design Award

Team members: Justin Bellarmino, Nicolas Ma, Annika Manlutac, Glenn Sivila, Brian Thai, and Tatsuya Vlaming.

They're heading to Kentucky for the VEX World Championships in April!!!

Montgomery High School Team: 3250A AzTechs

Coach: Joe Amaro

Principal: Tom Rodrigo

Otay Ranch High School Teams: 507A, 507B, 507D, & 507E

Coach: Hayley Salazar / Chad Pearson

Principal: Jose Brosz

San Ysidro High School Teams: 8301A & 8301C

Coach: Carrie Northum

Principal: Hector Espinoza

Southwest High School Team: 7164A SoH1

Coach: Jesus Arias / Dr. Hector Arias / Paul Koniarski-Qualcomm/ Alec Harley

Principal: Lee Romero

There is still time to SUPPORT Mar Vista Academy (MVA) Underwater Robotics (SeaPerch) Team reach their goal through GoFundMe HERE

Visit MVA SeaPerch Webiste HERE

Our very own Mr. Art Lopez (Sweetwater High School CS Teacher) has been invited by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to participate in a meeting that is designed to help build President Obama’s call and educational initiative for Computer Science for All.

Congratulations Mr. Lopez!

It is not coincidence that teachers involved in STEAM create an exponential impact on the development of our students. Here are some stellar STEAM staff awarded as 2015-16 Teacher of the Year! Congratulations!

Chad Pearson - District Teacher of the Year (Otay Ranch High School)

Joe Amaro - Montgomery High School

Jesus Arias - Southwest High School
Carrie Northum - San Ysidro High School

Full 2015-16 List of SUHSD Teachers of The Year HERE Congratulations!

Our STEAM students continue their success after they leave our district. Recently, SDSU Mechatronics Club won 1st Place in Robo Sub Competition. The following five (5) students are SUHSD STEAM Alumini and have been involved with SDSU Mechatronics Club.

Akash Khatawate (Class of 2011) -- EHS student (FIRST)

Adrian Hui (Class of 2013) -- SYHS student (VEX)

Jared Guerrero (Class of 2013) -- EHS student (FIRST)

Erick Campas (Class of 2014) -- EHS student (FIRST)

David Barnes (Class of 2014) -- ORHS student (VEX)

Mechatronics Club Places 1st in RoboSub Competition

SUHSD Board Members

Nicholas Segura -President-, Paula Hall, Kevin J. Pike, Arturo Solis, Frank A. Tarantino Superintendent Dr. Karen Janney