Nativity team named top 20 finalist in Battle of the Brains

From left, Harry Haverkamp, Michael Elder, Cam Riegel, Eli Jones and Whit Bohning realize their Battle of the Brains team placed in the top 20 finalists of the competition during a surprise announcement outside Nativity Parish School on Jan. 14. LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

by Moira Cullings
moira.cullings@theleaven.org

LEAWOOD — On Jan. 14, Burns & McDonnell rolled out the red carpet for students at Nativity Parish School here as part of a special surprise.

A team of 10 sixth and seventh grade students found out they placed in the top 20 of the organization’s Battle of the Brains competition out of 710 entries.

As they walked out of Nativity’s front doors, they were greeted with cheers by a team from Burns & McDonnell, their classmates and teachers.

From left, moving clockwise, Olive Kopp, Reese Darby, Alli Fogarty, Maggie Vitale and Franci Huderski cheer on their classmates who were named top 20 finalists in Burns & McDonnell’s Battle of the Brains competition. LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

“We are so proud of them,” said principal Luke Jennison to the group. “We are so proud of our STREAM program. Thank you all for celebrating with us.”

Battle of the Brains is a K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) competition that invites teams of students to create an exhibit concept for Science City at Union Station in Kansas City, Missouri.

The winning team will see its concept come to life.

Father Jerry Volz, pastor of Church of the Nativity in Leawood, high fives Whit Bohning while Eli Jones looks on during a surprise announcement outside Nativity Parish School. LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

Nativity’s students competed in the secondary division of the competition for grades 7-12.

According to Maeve Tung, Nativity’s STREAM (science, technology, religion, engineering, arts, math) director, the students spent their lunch breaks during the first semester of school working on the project together.

Their proposal, “Nature Knows Best: The Science of Biomimicry,” explores how studying nature and its designs and patterns can create sustainable solutions for human problems.

In their cover letter, the students shared how their inspiration came from researching science museums.

“While many celebrated nature itself, very few showed how humans can use nature’s ideas to innovate,” their letter said. “We wanted to fill that gap and highlight how biomimicry connects to real STEM careers and creative problem-solving.”

From left, moving clockwise, Isaac Hicks, Gwyneth Bush, Emma Murphy and Leila Long, members of Nativity’s sixth and seventh grade Battle of the Brains team, celebrate being in the top 20 finalists of the competition out of 710 entries. LEAVEN PHOTO BY KATHRYN WHITE

Tung is grateful her students are being honored for their work.

“One of the goals of our STREAM program is to inspire wonder and awe in God’s creation,” she said, “and as Battle of the Brains finalists, these students are now sharing that sense of curiosity, gratitude and inspiration with learners across the city.

“We are so proud of their hard work!”

The Battle of the Brains awards ceremony will take place on Feb. 4. To learn more, visit the website at: botbkc.com.