Please help send these Carteret STEAM kids from NJ to Iowa

If you're a Central Jersey business or perhaps someone who likes to help kids in need, the Carteret STEAM teams need your help.

What's a STEAM team?

In this case, we're talking about 13 borough and high school students, all of whom either are either first-generation Americans or foreign-born and want to demonstrate their skills in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) on an international level.

The competition will be held May 25 to 28 at the Odyssey of the Mind Finals at Iowa State University in Ames. These kids can't get there on their own and that's where you come in.

Carteret High School and Middle School each will send a team to the nation’s oldest problem-solving competition, founded in 1978 in New Jersey. More than 600 teams from 10 different countries will compete, according to district Odyssey of the Mind Head Coach Sheila O’Hare Barrows.

So far, they've raised nearly half of the $20,000 needed to defray all costs from students’ families, the school district is offering an engraved plaque in exchange for $1,000 sponsorships. All sponsors also will receive a listing at carteretschools.org/. Funds must be raised by May 13, Barrows said.

“This program has had a significant impact on our Carteret students,” said Barrows, a seventh-grade science teacher. “Odyssey opens their minds to a world of possibilities and to think outside the box every day. Odyssey of the Mind introduces them to a number of new skills and experiences with new friendly faces from all over the world and allows them to grow their social circle while learning leadership and teamwork. It teaches how crucial teamwork is in pursuing success and that you can make anything out of nothing. The sky's the limit.”

Donors can send contributions to: Carteret Middle School, 300 Carteret Ave., Carteret, NJ 07008. Checks or money orders can be made out to: Carteret Middle School with Odyssey of the Mind in the memo. The school’s tax ID is 22-6001708.

Donor questions can sent to Barrows at sbarrows@carteretschools.org or Gonzalez at ngonzalez@carteretschools.org.

Updates about the Odyssey of the Mind teams will be available at carteretschools.org/ and by following @CarteretSchools on Instagram and Twitter and CarteretBOE on Facebook.

Whatever you could do to help these hard working great kids would be greatly appreciated.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Steve Trevelise only. Follow him on Twitter @realstevetrev.

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