(Edinburg, TX) – The 2020 Valley Divisional STEM Competition was hosted by The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley – Edinburg Campus on Saturday, February 29, 2020. More than 223 student competitors from across the region registered to attend the free event.
Texas students from grades 6-12 competed in individual math and science tests and as part of a team to solve an Engineering Design Challenge. Participants were sworn to secrecy about the Challenge – at least until March 1st, when students across the state had their chance to try their skills solving the same problem. This year’s challenge was developed by engineers from ConocoPhillips.
The Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME) is a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing Texas students to join a strong and diverse STEM workforce. TAME programs encourage students to build skills and explore STEM concepts through hands-on activities, TAME Clubs, and statewide and divisional STEM Competitions.
The top six finishers in each test and the top three teams from the Engineering Design Challenge were recognized. One student from each grade level was recognized as the Ace Award Winner for the highest combined math and science score.
Thanks to the support of TAME’s 2019 Statewide STEM Competition sponsor ConocoPhillips, STEM Competitions across Texas are offered free of charge for all participants. TAME thanks our partners and our many dedicated volunteers for celebrating achievement in STEM and making learning fun and exciting for Texas students.
More information on TAME’s STEM Competitions can be found here. If you have any questions or comments, please contact the leadership for the Valley Chapter.
Congratulations to all our hardworking competitors!
EVENT PHOTOS
If you’re sharing photos of the event, please tag TAME using #LonestarSTEM.
Please consider sharing photos with the TAME State Office. We will feature selected pictures on the TAME Facebook page and with corporate and university partners who have ensured that the competition is offered free of cost to participants. You can email pictures to programs@tame.org or upload them to Google Drive here.

Photo of the 2020 Valley Divisional STEM Competition Awards Ceremony. Photo credit to Edna Ingrid Orozco and Dr. Ala Qubbaj of the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley.
MATH TEST RESULTS
Math | 1st place | 2nd place | 3rd place | 4th place | 5th place | 6th place |
6th grade | Justin Ibanez | Hunter Jackson | Marc Cancino | Selah De Leon | Anna Dworaczyk | Katio Perez |
7th grade | Bassam Kahaan | Evalyn Castillo | Valeria Martinez | Axel Ruiz | Jose Luis De La Rosa Vela | Johnathon Gomez |
8th grade | Aiden Iao | Evalyn Escalon | Estrella Cavazos | Fernando Garcia | Jean Carlo Ruiz | Ashley Meria |
9th grade | Raul Cantu | Melody Aranda | Johnathon Miranda | Wendy Garcia | ||
10th grade | Jacqueline Ochoa | Sheila Robledo | Joanna Vargas | Yahir Olvera | Kayla Montalvo | Jose Merla |
11th grade | Israel Hernandez | |||||
12th grade | Jesus Eguia |
SCIENCE TEST RESULTS
Science | 1st place | 2nd place | 3rd place | 4th place | 5th place | 6th place |
6th grade | Aditya Dantu | Marc Cansino | Anna Dworaczyk | Leo Maisili | James Cerda | Evan Zamora |
7th grade | Evalyn Castillo | Valeria Martinez | Bassam Kahaan | Axel Ruiz | David Torres | |
8th grade | Kai Vinluan | Matthew Morales | Evalyn Escalon | Robert Castillo | Jean Carlo Ruiz | Emma Castillo |
9th grade | Raul Cantu | Johnathon Miranda | Melody Arranda | Wendy Garcia | ||
10th grade | Jose Merla | Adrian Garcia | Jireh Baravio | Azul Palacios | Sheila Robledo | Jacqueline Ochoa |
11th grade | Israel Hernandez | |||||
12th grade | Jesus Equia |
ACE AWARD WINNERS
ACE Award | Combined Score |
6th grade | Marc Cansino |
7th grade | Bassam Kahaan |
8th grade | Evalyn Escalon |
9th grade | Raul Cantu |
10th grade | Sheila Robledo |
11th grade | Israel Hernandez |
12th grade | Jesus Eguia |
ENGINEERING DESIGN CHALLENGE RESULTS
1st place | 2nd place | 3rd place |
Team Number: 21 | Team Number: 8 | Team Number: 16 |
Andrea Serna | Estrella Cavazos | Gabriel Trujilo |
Evelyn Castillo | Hunter Jackson | Hector Torres |
Francisco Huerta | Jesus Equia | Jacqueline Ochoa |
Joanna Vargas | Maria Labanzate | Jean Carlo Ruiz |
Kimberly Harlow | Miriam Quiroz | Jose Luis Del La Rosa Vela |
Marc Cancino | Samantha Enriquez | Ramon De La Fuente |