SPS Shout Outs
Students Shine in STEM, Scholarship, Engineering, and DECA Competitions
SPS Shout Outs highlight the incredible achievements of our students and educators across the district—from space-bound experiments and prestigious national scholarship recognition to hands‑on engineering challenges and standout performances in statewide business competitions.
These students reflect the innovation, leadership, and dedication that make our district a vibrant community of learners and leaders. Help us celebrate the bright futures our students are building every day!
Eckstein Students are NASA TechRise Challenge Winners
In January, NASA announced that Eckstein Middle School was among 60 winning teams for its fifth TechRise Student Challenge. Each team will work together to turn their proposed science and technology experiments into reality ahead of NASA-sponsored flight tests in summer 2026. Their experiments will fly on a suborbital spaceship operated by Virgin Galactic of Tustin, Calif. or a high-altitude balloon operated by World View Enterprises of Tucson, Ariz.
The experiment from Eckstein is assigned to fly on a suborbital spaceship operated by Virgin Galactic.
Students will use sensors and various types of hardware to gather data in stratospheric and microgravity environments to address a wide variety of challenges. They will study radiation, the behavior of electricity and magnetism, how dust/particles interact, the presence of volatile organic compounds, and more.
The winning teams each receive $1,500 to build their experiments, a starter kit, including a flight box in which to build their experiment, an assigned spot to test their experiment on a NASA-sponsored flight, and technical support during the experiment build phase from Future Engineers advisors, who will help students learn the skills they need to turn their experiment idea into a reality.
We will share more information when Eckstein students complete their mission.
Three SPS Seniors in the Running for Prestigious Scholarship
The Jack Kent Cooke College Scholarship—one of the nation’s most competitive awards for high‑achieving students with financial need—provides up to $55,000 per year, along with college advising, mentorship, and academic support.
Bill Chen from Cleveland STEM High School, Ciel Huntting from Lincoln High School, and Aida Sarr from Rainier Beach High School were selected from thousands of applicants nationwide. Only 500 students advance to the semifinalist and finalist rounds. About 100 scholars are selected for the scholarship each year. Each one of these SPS students carry a story shaped by resilience, leadership, and a profound commitment to their communities.
Bill is a senior at Cleveland STEM High School, transformed his experience as a first‑generation American into a passion for service. After navigating language barriers and discrimination, he became a community mentor, founded a nonprofit expanding STEM access, and now serves as a Seattle Youth Commissioner dedicated to educational equity. Bill hopes his journey inspires other SPS students to believe in the power of their own stories.
Aida, known for her leadership and academic drive, serves as President of her school’s Black Student Union and as cheer captain. She uplifts others while excelling in the classroom and exploring interests in business, pre‑law, and political science. Aida plans to use her education to create meaningful opportunities and positive change within her community.
Ciel is a senior at Lincoln High School. He is a passionate advocate for queer joy, visibility, and environmental stewardship. He organizes community events celebrating identity and leads habitat restoration projects that strengthen student connection to the environment. As a semifinalist, Ciel hopes to encourage SPS youth to dream boldly and seek out resources that support their academic paths.
Together, these finalists embody service, leadership, and resilience—qualities that reflect the spirit of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation and the bright futures ahead for Seattle students.
Career & Technical Education Brings Engineering to Life
Career and Technical Education (CTE) connects students across the district with career-connected learning opportunities. David Chernicoff’s Engineering students at Orca K-8, for example, simulated roles on a worksite including Project Manager, Engineer, Accountant, and Construction Specialist. Students worked as a team to “purchase” materials and pitched a bridge design contest to a panel of impartial judges.
Students tracked their costs, made sketches, and built models of their bridge design before presenting their final bids for their bridges to a panel of guest judges. Both groups’ bridges held the maximum of 50 pounds! Check out more incredible student work.
SPS Students Shine at DECA Area 2 Competition
Ten SPS high schools sent student delegations to the DECA Area 2 competition at the Lynnwood Convention Center, where participants showcased their talents in Marketing, Financial Planning, Entrepreneurship, and other competitive events.
More than 450 SPS students attended, and an impressive 330 students qualified to advance to next month’s state-level competition.
A special congratulations goes to Mia Huynh of Chief Sealth International High School, who was elected as the 2026–27 DECA Area 2 President. Kudos to all our outstanding DECA competitors and the dedicated CTE advisors who support them!
