If you’ve spent any time around Avondale Elementary School District’s Chief Science Officers this year, you know one thing is true: these students are busy, and they mean business.
From marching in the Billy Moore Day Parade in August to refining engineering prototypes this spring, AESD CSOs have packed this school year with meaningful STEM experiences. Early in the year, students strengthened their science and engineering leadership skills through new Microsoft Micro:bit Investigations, building hands-on projects that challenge them to think critically, code with purpose, and solve real problems.
Their momentum continued at the Arizona Science Center, where AESD students participated in every SemiQuest and Girls in STEMiconductors session from October through March. These sessions were more than fun field trips — they were opportunities to test ideas and grow as STEM leaders alongside peers from across the region.
Student achievement heading into spring speaks volumes. Twenty AESD students represented their district at STEMCON 2026, and six advanced to the SARSEF Virtual Fair. Now, several CSOs are preparing for the Gifted Expo and STEAM Mobile Lab Earth Day Celebration, while many gear up for the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair (AZSEF), taking place March 26–27 at Desert Financial Arena.
Behind the scenes, students are refining research questions, tightening experimental design, running trials, collecting data, building charts, debugging code, and practicing how to clearly communicate their findings. The focus isn’t just on competing, it’s on doing authentic science and engineering the right way.
To help students stay on track, mentors are encouraging a structured four-week project path:
- Finalize the problem, research question, and hypothesis
- Build and code the prototype
- Run investigations and analyze data
- Present conclusions with clarity and confidence
Across competitions, projects are evaluated on strong research design, effective use of micro technology, accurate data analysis, thoughtful conclusions, and demonstrated leadership and community impact. In other words, students are busy building skills that last well beyond a single event.
Mentors and Site Leads continue to support students through March 6, ensuring they feel prepared and confident heading into competition season. Even as many transition into coaching and judging roles, their commitment to AESD students remains constant.
If this spring is any indication, the future of STEM in Avondale is in very capable hands. These CSOs are showing what’s possible when students are given the tools, the guidance, and the space to lead.