Ramsey, NJ, May 10, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. (Konica Minolta), today announced the winners of the company’s first ever Konica Minolta 3D Innovation Contest, which awarded 10 deserving U.S.-based K-12 school teachers a prize valued at $2,200. The prize package includes a Dremel 3D printer, extra spools of filament, and a one-year subscription to the MyStemKits educational curriculum in order to spark student interest in STEM subject areas.
The company congratulates the following very deserving winners:
- Tyson Sigette, Fox Senior High School, Arnold, MO
- Nicole Gordon, Lindbergh Schools, St. Louis, MO
- Tracy Braatz, The PEAK School, Flagstaff, AZ
- Bonnie Kirkley, RB Wright Elementary, Moultrie, GA
- Paul Haden, Mount Carmel Jr./Sr. High School, Mount Carmel, PA
- Lisa Mueller, Rock Creek Elementary, O’Fallon, MO
- Beth Sletta, Jefferson Elementary School, New Ulm, MN
- Alex Christian, Edmonson County High School, Brownsville, KY
- Al Troyer, Tonganoxie High School, Tonganoxie, KS
- Jessica Brantley, Everitt Middle School, Panama City, FL
Kay Du Fernandez, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Konica Minolta, expressed her excitement about the contest submissions. “The ideas that came through in all of our entries were incredibly creative, technical and forward-thinking. We are thrilled that teachers out there are helping to spark this type of high-level innovation in their students.”
Contest Entry Highlights
Highlights from suggested uses for the 3D printers and MyStemKit curriculum included the following:
- Invention and design; connecting abstract concepts with physical models to deepen and build new skills needed for the information age.
- Hydrogen fuel cell boat races, recyclable materials sorting prototypes and computer science modeling.
- Building topographic maps, studying plate tectonics, making 3D representations of molecules and atoms.
- Creating pollinator puddling devices, bee hotels, and bird feeder pieces so that the pollinators will continue to visit the school garden.
- Creating breakable common compounds to understand bonding, valence shell electron pair repulsion, and modern atomic structure.
- Supporting the Computer Aided Drafting and Design career pathway, which focuses on drafting, construction and architectural design, mechanical modeling, and manufacturing.
Konica Minolta Drives STEM Education in the U.S.
The company is on a mission to make a difference for students, supporting the diverse learning experiences within their learning environment, and piquing their interests in developing the designs of the future. Dremel 3D printers and the MyStemKits curriculum education packages use technology to advance thinking and foster creativity around innovations that address 21st-century challenges. Konica Minolta’s specialized K-12 education solutions consultants are available to guide other schools with their needs, and can be found here.
About the Dremel 3D Printer and MyStemKits
- MyStemKits features 3D manipulatives, with more than 150 kits and 200 lesson plans. MyStemKits is research-based and aligned to national standards, including NGSS and Common Core.
- Dremel integrates its 3D printers with specially designed curriculum and lesson plans for all levels (including Elementary through High School), featuring activities centered on invention, design, modeling and building in subjects like Science, Technology, Engineering, Math, Geography and Art.
About Konica Minolta
Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. is reshaping and revolutionizing the Workplace of the Future™ (www.reshapework.com). With our comprehensive portfolio, we deliver solutions to leverage mobility, cloud services, and optimize business processes with workflow automation. Our All Covered IT Services division offers a range of IT strategy, support, and network security solutions. Konica Minolta has been recognized as the #1 Brand for Customer Loyalty in the MFP Office Copier Market by Brand Keys for 11 consecutive years, and is proud to be ranked on the Forbes 2016 America's Best Employers list. Konica Minolta, Inc. has been named to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index for five years in a row. We partner with our customers to give shape to ideas and work to bring value to our society. For more information, please visit: www.CountOnKonicaMinolta.com and follow Konica Minolta on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter@KonicaMinoltaUS.
Kristina Marchitto Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Inc. 201-236-4399 kmarchitto@kmbs.konicaminolta.us
