How do students from all over Texas work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions? This weekend, 266 aspiring future engineers of Texas faced a design challenge created by engineers from ConocoPhillips. Based on real-world problems, the challenge was part of the 35th annual State STEM Competition, sponsored by ConocoPhillips and held virtually. Students collaborated using their STEM skills to find the most effective way to solve the dilemma of a natural gas pipeline that is too small to capture all the natural gas being produced by new wells. Their objective? Determine the best way to minimize the wasted energy resource while using a strategy that reduces greenhouse gas emissions. Students stepped into the shoes of STEM professionals to learn more about providing the energy the world needs, while considering the environmental impact their decisions have.
The State STEM Competition is an annual event organized by the Texas Alliance for Minorities in Engineering (TAME), statewide non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing Texas students to join a strong and diverse STEM workforce. TAME’s annual State STEM Competition is the focus of a year of intense preparation for Texas students in TAME Clubs around the state. TAME students from grades 6-12 qualified to attend the event at one of 7 Divisional STEM Competitions. View results from the 2021 Divisional STEM Competitions.
This year’s virtual event brought students from different ages and different hometowns together in teams to practice their collaborative problem-solving skills over the Engineering Design Challenge. Students were given the option to compete in special proctored math and science tests before the big day, and the top six students in each test received awards. The top six teams from the Engineering Design Challenge were recognized. Three teams also received a special Judges’ Choice Award for teamwork and creative problem solving.
The STEM Competitions, part of TAME’s multi-pronged STEM engagement strategy, celebrate diversity and achievement in STEM and encourage the development of a peer and mentor network. Thanks to the support of TAME’s 2021 Statewide STEM Competition sponsor ConocoPhillips, our 2021 Awards Sponsor Halliburton, and a number of sponsors gratefully acknowledged below, STEM Competitions across Texas are offered free of charge for all participants.
We are especially grateful to local TAME Chapter leadership, our dedicated TAME Club Sponsors, and the many volunteers from 23 different organizations for celebrating achievement in STEM and making learning fun and exciting for Texas students.
More information on TAME’s annual STEM Competitions can be found here. Want to get involved in planning local and statewide TAME events? Learn more here.
Congratulations to all our hardworking competitors!
A photo from the 2021 State STEM Competition.
ENGINEERING DESIGN CHALLENGE
“The Engineering Design Challenge was really fun, and all of the events in the competition were all so useful and inspirational.” – 8th grade student
In this year’s Engineering Design Challenge, students stepped into the shoes of STEM professionals to learn more about providing the energy the world needs, while considering the environmental impact their decisions have.
Students chose from six different job descriptions. Each person took on a vital role and built confidence in what it might be like to have that career. Team assignments were strategically balanced by race, gender, age, and geography to bring a variety of voices to the table and give each student a fair chance to step into the role of a real engineer for an afternoon.
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PARTICIPATION BY CHAPTER
This year, 16 TAME Chapters were represented at the event by the following participants. Invitees included students who qualified at this year’s Consolidated Divisional STEM Competitions, returning participants from last year’s cancelled State STEM Competition, and winners of this year’s Creative Design Contest and Student Engineer Contest.
| Chapter | Participants |
| Abilene | 1 |
| Amarillo | 13 |
| Capital Area | 36 |
| Corpus Christi | 28 |
| Dallas | 11 |
| East Texas | 12 |
| El Paso | 4 |
| Fort Worth | 25 |
| GC TAME (Houston) | 31 |
| GT TAME (Beaumont) | 16 |
| Lubbock | 24 |
| San Angelo | 8 |
| San Antonio | 28 |
| Valley | 6 |
| West Texas | 9 |
| Wichita Falls | 14 |
EVENT PROGRAM
Download the Event Program to see the schedule, full student roster, and more:
2021 State Competition Program
EVENT STATISTICS
Click the image below to zoom in on the infographic and view detailed event statistics:
2021 State Competition Infographic
MATH TEST RESULTS
| 6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade | 9th Grade | 10th Grade | 11th Grade | 12th Grade | |
| 1st place | Hanish Mamidi, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Gavin Wu, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Allison Yao, Canyon Vista Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Nathaniel Wright, Amarillo TAME, Amarillo Chapter | Maverick McKown, Rider H.S., Wichita Falls Chapter | Rohit Saralaya, Ascension Academy, Amarillo Chapter | Eunsuh Cho, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter |
| 2nd place | Benita Narula, Cedar Valley Girls in Engineering, Capital Area Chapter | Andrew Suh, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Grace Sng, Cedar Valley Girls in Engineering, Capital Area Chapter | Liana Forster, Boerne-Champion High School, San Antonio Chapter | Advika Varadharajan, Lewisville High School, Dallas Chapter | Ye-Un Go, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter | Susanna Kim, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter |
| 3rd place | Sritam Pradhan, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Rithul Bhat, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | James Li, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Mahasvin Puli, LCATS, San Antonio Chapter | Benjamin Smothers, School of Science & Tech – San Antonio, San Antonio Chapter | Matthew Moore, School of Science & Tech – San Antonio, San Antonio Chapter | Emerson Archer, Amarillo TAME, Amarillo Chapter |
| 4th place | Safwan Siraj, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Zachary Parker, Ascension Academy, Amarillo Chapter | Aarohi Bhattacharya, Canyon Vista Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Justin Lewis, South Houston NSBE Jr., GC TAME Chapter | Prasi Desai, Rider H.S., Wichita Falls Chapter | Julian Garcia, Wichita Falls High School, Wichita Falls Chapter | Robert Horvath, Wichita Falls High School, Wichita Falls Chapter |
| 5th place | Ty Gardner, McNiel Middle School, Wichita Falls Chapter | Brayson Beck, Lynn County 4-H, Lubbock Chapter | Shrishti Mahajan, Canyon Vista Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Hyojun Moon, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter | Sumin Yeo, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter | Christina Ko, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter | Eungyo Moon, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter |
| 6th place | Mae Shen, Pine Tree Middle School, East Texas Chapter | Seth Griffin, McNair Middle School, San Antonio Chapter | Memphis Planchon, School of Science and Technology – Alamo, San Antonio Chapter | Jenacee Cortez, Amarillo TAME, Amarillo Chapter | Jaewan Ok, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter | Sairamana Sivakumar, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter | Dave Park, Harmony Science Academy – Euless, Fort Worth Chapter |
SCIENCE TEST RESULTS
| 6th Grade | 7th Grade | 8th Grade | 9th Grade | 10th Grade | 11th Grade | 12th Grade | |
| 1st place | Kaelah Harris, Margaret Talkington School For Young Women Leaders, Lubbock Chapter | Luke Rogers, Winnsboro High School, East Texas Chapter | Prisha Goyal, Canyon Vista Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Siddhi Raut, LCATS, San Antonio Chapter | Breanna Hutchison, San Antonio NSBE Jr., San Antonio Chapter | Aryan Shaik, Concho Valley TAME, San Angelo Chapter | Blake Bogart, Haltom High School, Fort Worth Chapter |
| 2nd place | Joan Papricia Amalraj, Canyon Vista Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Alexis Klein, Pine Tree Junior High, East Texas Chapter | Anagha Deepak, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Mariella Infante, Veterans Memorial HS, Corpus Christi Chapter | Sahana Babu, LCATS, San Antonio Chapter | Branimir Gore, LCATS, San Antonio Chapter | Roberto Salinas, Pflugerville High School, Capital Area Chapter |
| 3rd place | Soham Pradhan, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Ashlyn Gonzaez, Elias Longoria MS Robotics Club, Valley Chapter | Leo Zheng, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Karena Starks, Memorial 9th Grade Academy, GT TAME Chapter | Sarah Tabrez, Lamar University, GT TAME Chapter | Utsawb Lamichhane, Harmony Science Academy – Euless, Fort Worth Chapter | Chloe Guerrero, Haltom High School, Fort Worth Chapter |
| 4th place | Jayton Burrow, Lynn County 4-H, Lubbock Chapter | Juan Martinez, Miller Metro Prep School of Design, Corpus Christi Chapter | Haiden Hailey, Pine Tree Junior High, East Texas Chapter | Aaron Guerrero, Haltom High School, Fort Worth Chapter | Londyn Hall, San Antonio NSBE Jr., San Antonio Chapter | Elaine Zhu, Haltom High School, Fort Worth Chapter | Christian Hernandez, Odessa Collegiate Academy, West Texas Chapter |
| 5th place | Mirabelle Wright, Crockett Middle School, Amarillo Chapter | Joaquin Arispe, Miller Metro Prep School of Design, Corpus Christi Chapter | Témoc Zamora, Kaffie Middle School, Corpus Christi Chapter | Layton Keith, Winnsboro High School, East Texas Chapter | Fernando Corrales, Fort Stockton High School, West Texas Chapter | Helena Nguyen, Haltom High School, Fort Worth Chapter | Hannah Carreon, Shallowater, Lubbock Chapter |
| 6th place | Ava Harrell, Pine Tree Middle School, East Texas Chapter | Beau Duffield, Winnsboro High School, East Texas Chapter | Madeline Stephens, San Angelo Christian Academy, San Angelo Chapter | Talan Parker, Rider H.S., Wichita Falls Chapter | Nickolas Pena-Alvarado, Science and Engineering Magnet at Townview, Dallas Chapter | Changxu Liu, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter | Jamie Tyler, Odessa Collegiate Academy, West Texas Chapter |
ENGINEERING DESIGN CHALLENGE RESULTS
These are final results, including a tie from a follow-up event.
| 1st place | 2nd place – tie | 2nd place – tie | 3rd place | 4th place | 5th place | 6th place |
| Team 18 | Team 38 | Team 36 | Team 19 | Team 24 | Team 8 | Team 6 |
| L(e)aaarrn | Natural Nonsense | SCS (Super Carbon Stoppers) | CO2 Breakers | Hidden Leaf Team 7 | Thunder Cougar Phyre Byrds | CO NO |
| Amaya Salter Margaret Talkington School For Young Women Leaders Lubbock Chapter |
Ashlin Pineda Academy of Accelerated Learning Chimney Rock GC TAME Chapter |
Dylan Cortez Amarillo TAME Amarillo Chapter |
Belen Sierra Academy of Accelerated Learning Chimney Rock GC TAME Chapter |
Aaron Guerrero Haltom High School Fort Worth Chapter |
Albert Perez Tom Browne Middle School Corpus Christi Chapter |
Bianca Mooney Winnsboro High School East Texas Chapter |
| Anagha Deepak Cedar Valley Middle School Capital Area Chapter |
Maximus Planchon School of Science and Technology – Alamo San Antonio Chapter |
Ernest Dietzmann Growing with STEMs San Antonio Chapter |
Dave Park Harmony Science Academy – Euless Fort Worth Chapter |
Alexia Rutledge Lewisville High School Dallas Chapter |
Emerson Archer Amarillo TAME Amarillo Chapter |
Gavin Boyd Winnsboro High School East Texas Chapter |
| Arianna Barker Wichita Falls High School Wichita Falls Chapter |
Memphis Planchon School of Science and Technology – Alamo San Antonio Chapter |
Eungyo Moon McNeil High SchoolCapital Area Chapter |
Dellina Kiflu, Challenge Early College High School, GC TAME Chapter | Alvina Shaik Concho Valley TAME San Angelo Chapter |
Helena Nguyen Haltom High School Fort Worth Chapter |
Lisset Morales Chillicothe High School Wichita Falls Chapter |
| Laura Garza Atkins Middle School Lubbock Chapter |
Soham Pradhan Cedar Valley Middle School Capital Area Chapter |
Fernando Corrales Fort Stockton High School West Texas Chapter |
Grace Sng Cedar Valley Girls in Engineering Capital Area Chapter |
Herman Washington Abraham Lincoln Middle School GT TAME Chapter |
Jada McClean Academy of Accelerated Learning BELLFORT GC TAME Chapter |
Marleni Chavez Academy of Accelerated Learning Chimney Rock GC TAME Chapter |
| Nhi Ho Liberty Junior High School Dallas Chapter |
Symantha Noel San Antonio NSBE Jr. San Antonio Chapter |
Loretta Salazar McNair Middle School San Antonio Chapter |
Justin Lewis South Houston NSBE Jr. GC TAME Chapter |
Jacob Perry Ascension Academy Amarillo Chapter |
Kevin Tellez Energized for Excellence Academy Inc. MS GC TAME Chapter |
Raul Guerra Watauga Middle School Fort Worth Chapter |
| Robert Horvath Wichita Falls High School Wichita Falls Chapter |
Whit Smithson Lynn County 4-H Lubbock Chapter |
Tiffany Sparks McNiel Middle School Wichita Falls Chapter |
Mary Hernandez Atkins Middle School Lubbock Chapter |
Joaquin Arispe Miller Metro Prep School of Design Corpus Christi Chapter |
Mahasvin Puli LCATS San Antonio Chapter |
Shay Potts Chillicothe High School Wichita Falls Chapter |
| Rogelio Medina Kaffie Middle School Corpus Christi Chapter |
Zachary Azerad Southwest Club Fort Worth Chapter |
Zairah Guillen Odessa Collegiate Academy West Texas Chapter |
Zachary Ford Lynn County 4-H Lubbock Chapter |
Joshua Mayben San Angelo Christian Academy San Angelo Chapter |
Nathan Maldonado Kaffie Middle School Corpus Christi Chapter |
Sritam Pradhan Cedar Valley Middle School Capital Area Chapter |
| Témoc Zamora Kaffie Middle School Corpus Christi Chapter |
JUDGES’ CHOICE AWARDS
Because STEM fields rely on creative problem solving, three Judges’ Choice Awards were presented to teams who communicated well to create a strong strategy, and who prioritized creativity and teamwork.
| Judges’ Choice | Judges’ Choice | Judges’ Choice |
| Team 33 | Team 26 | Team 1 |
| Viridian Vitality | Carbonated Champions | |
| Alexia Sanchez, Fort Stockton High School, West Texas Chapter | Addisyn Burrow, Lynn County 4-H, Lubbock Chapter | Advika Varadharajan, Lewisville High School, Dallas Chapter |
| Francisco Huerta, Elias Longoria MS Robotics Club, Valley Chapter | Alexandro Morales, Moody High School, Corpus Christi Chapter | Benita Narula, Cedar Valley Girls in Engineering, Capital Area Chapter |
| Nathaniel Wright, Amarillo TAME, Amarillo Chapter | Emma Keckler, Boerne-Champion High School, San Antonio Chapter | Christian Hernandez, Odessa Collegiate Academy, West Texas Chapter |
| Sarah Tabrez, Lamar University, GT TAME Chapter | Grace Rodriguez, Liberty Junior High School, Dallas Chapter | Conner Lloyd, West Orange Stark Middle School, GT TAME Chapter |
| Tamara Hinderman, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter | Her’Mayia Washington, Abraham Lincoln Middle School, GT TAME Chapter | Genevive Mgbojeme, Liberty Junior High School, Dallas Chapter |
| Yaritza Banuelos, McNair Middle School, San Antonio Chapter | Kristal Cayabyab, Kaffie Middle School, Corpus Christi Chapter | Jerry Aguirre, Anthony Middle School, EL Paso Chapter |
| Zachary Parker, Ascension Academy, Amarillo Chapter | Rithul Bhat, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter | Sairamana Sivakumar, McNeil High School, Capital Area Chapter |
Halliburton All-Around Winner
These are final results, including an additional tie from a follow-up event.
| 6th Grade (four-way tie) |
Benita Narula, Cedar Valley Girls in Engineering, Capital Area Chapter |
| 6th Grade (four-way tie) |
Loretta Salazar, McNair Middle School, San Antonio Chapter |
| 6th Grade (four-way tie) |
Soham Pradhan, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter |
| 6th Grade (four-way tie) |
Sritam Pradhan, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter |
| 7th Grade | Nhi Ho, Liberty Junior High School, Dallas Chapter |
| 8th Grade | Anagha Deepak, Cedar Valley Middle School, Capital Area Chapter |
| 9th Grade | Justin Lewis, South Houston NSBE Jr., GC TAME Chapter |
| 10th Grade | Fernando Corrales, Fort Stockton High School, West Texas Chapter |
| 11th Grade | Arianna Barker, Wichita Falls High School, Wichita Falls Chapter |
| 12th Grade | Robert Horvath, Wichita Falls High School, Wichita Falls Chapter |
Thanks to our Sponsors!
Statewide Sponsor
Statewide Awards Sponsor
Corporate & Foundation Sponsors
ExxonMobil, Google, Howmet Aerospace, Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, Permian Basin Area Foundation, PPG, Rackspace, Silicon Labs, and Xcel Energy
Higher Education Partners
Angelo State University, Odessa College, Texas Tech University, University of Houston, The University of Texas at Austin, and The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
