Two student groups from Mr. Surprenant's STEM Academy at Papillion La Vista High School spent months developing engineering solutions to real-world problems as part of the Society of American Military Engineers' Student Mentoring Program. The competition challenged students to research, design, and present original projects — one focused on inclusive gym design, and another exploring shoes capable of harvesting energy with each step.

The SAME Student Mentoring Program pairs high school students with professional mentors in fields relevant to their projects, giving competitors access to expert guidance as they work through the design and troubleshooting process. Over the course of the program, both PLHS teams refined their ideas through that mentorship, developed their technical writing and presentation skills, and prepared to defend their work before a panel of judges. On competition day, both groups fielded judges' questions with confidence and composure.

The breadth of the two projects — one addressing accessibility in athletic spaces, the other exploring sustainable energy technology — reflects the kind of creative, human-centered thinking the SAME program is designed to cultivate. For the STEM Academy students involved, the experience offered far more than a competition; it was an immersive lesson in engineering process, professional collaboration, and the power of student-driven innovation. Papillion La Vista High School continues to provide students with opportunities to apply classroom learning to challenges that matter in the real world.