Creekside Middle School takes on Garver Chain Reaction Challenge

The early introduction of STEM activities can help establish the leadership qualities and critical thinking necessary for students to become the next generation of engineers.

Staff from Garver’s Fayetteville, Arkansas office helped facilitate that recently, by participating in the Garver Chain Reaction Challenge with students from Creekside Middle School in Bentonville. Garver helped the students during the process, but allowed them to dictate direction of their Rube Goldberg-style chain reaction machines.

“One of the most difficult things with either tinkering, making, or maybe with engineering, if you continually just give the answer, the stretch isn’t there,” said Creekside Principal Jeff Wasem. “And we want the stretch to be there, because that’s where the critical thinking is.”

Garver is celebrating its centennial by providing 100 STEM kits and monetary donations to 100 schools across its footprint, to help create a better understanding of STEM concepts, the engineering design process, and the importance of perseverance.

“I love that our GarverGives committees and people in our firm are interested in giving back to students, and the STEM environment,” said Garver President Brock Hoskins. "And that naturally, hopefully, interests them to want to be engineers and other scientists that can want to work for us one day.”

To learn more, visit our centennial celebration page.