SASHS STEM Team Heads to Governor’s State Challenge with High-Flying Ag-Tech Innovation

Image of a Custom Thermal Drone

SHIPPENSBURG, PA – For the first time in district history, Shippensburg Area Senior High

School’s STEM team has been selected to compete in the Governor’s State STEM Challenge —

and they’re doing it with a cutting-edge agricultural innovation that could help farmers monitor

crop health from the sky.

The student team’s quadcopter drone project, which uses NDVI (Normalized Difference

Vegetation Index) and infrared technology to assess plant and field health, was chosen as a

finalist in the prestigious statewide competition. The technology has real-world applications in

precision agriculture, allowing farmers to detect crop stress early and manage fields more

efficiently.

Their industry mentor for the project has been Letterkenny Army Depot, providing valuable

insight and support as the team refined their design and presentation.

To fully demonstrate the drone at the final competition, however, the students would need

approximately $1,000 to purchase flight batteries and related components. The competition doesn't allow this extra expense, but the students will still be able to showcase their project's potential.

This marks a major milestone for SASD and highlights the incredible talent and potential of local

students pushing the boundaries of STEM education in agriculture.

– Susan Fink, E.D. The Greyhound Foundation