Students answer ‘Wouldn't it be cool if...'

From designing an underwater car to finding a cure for cancer, students in Yuma have big dreams they want to accomplish in the future. About 200 middle school students gathered at Arizona Western College on Tuesday as part of the Time Warner Cable “Wouldn't it be cool if...” event that aims to turn kids' ideas into reality.

Students from Centennial, Crane, Castle Dome, Rancho Viejo, Gila Vista, Fourth Avenue, Southwest and Woodard schools spent the afternoon brainstorming ideas that would better the lives of themselves and others by using Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

A handful of students from each campus volunteered to attend the event based on their interest in STEM fields. They were asked to go back to their campuses and encourage other 10- to 15-year-old students to submit their own unique idea entries at www.wouldntbecoolif.com before the deadline March 28.

“According to the National Science Foundation, 80 percent of jobs in the next decade will require some form of math and science skills so we — as a nation — need to keep science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) top of mind for young students,” said Time Warner Cable.

Yuma was one of only two West Region markets selected to hold a local “Wouldn't it be cool if...” event, and students were eager to share their ideas.

Seventh-grade Centennial student Levi McBride, 12, said he wants to get rid of the stereotype that middle schoolers don't have the tenacity to accomplish goals.

“I want to make a difference in people's lives,” he said, noting that he hopes to use science and math to accomplish just that by going into the field of sports medicine in the future.

Sonia Garcia, also a seventh-grader at Centennial, said she wants to figure out a cure for cancer after having many family members with the disease.

“I wanted to come to this event today because just thinking that putting an idea out there made from teenagers that can eventually evolve into something even better is just breathtaking,” commented Garcia, 13.

Allex Brooks, 13, said she would like to put sensors on a car and on signs along the road that would regulate everyone's speed limit and prevent accidents.

She said this would decrease the amount of accidents on the road and would force people to slow down or speed up depending on the speed limit. Brooks said it would also require cars to stop at a stop sign for at least three seconds to ensure that they don't run through them.

Four national finalists in the “Wouldn't it be cool if...” competition will be selected to fly to the FIRST Robotics Championship in St. Louis, Mo., in April to present their idea to performing artist will.i.am and inventor Dean Kamen. Students will also get the chance to work with Fahrenheit 212, one of the nation's innovation consulting firms to bring their ideas to life.