Team RABBITS, Reusing Articles Bringing Better Imaginations Toward Success, a group of Bowie Intermediate students, recently competed in the Junior Division of Texas Future Problem Solvers – Community Problem Solving Component.
Team RABBITS won champion at large, junior division, which qualifies them to showcase their project and receive medals at the State Bowl in San Marcos on April 12-14 with the possibility of advancing to International Conference in Amherst, MA in June.
While touring their own campus, students decided on an area of concern, developed a plan of action and implemented the plan.
Students focused on art supply waste, primarily crayons. Students researched crayon waste and repurposing, learning that it takes more than 100 years for a crayon to decompose in a landfill.
These students decided they could make a difference and took action. Crayon recycle bins were made and distributed around town.
Team RABBITS collected more than 56 pounds of crayons to upcycle. One pound of crayons is about 112 crayons.
Students developed a process for melting, molding and reforming those crayons to make stress relief packets containing the new crayons and a mini coloring book to distribute to areas of need in the community.
The packets were delivered to The Bowie Police Department, The Bowie Fire Department, Helen Farabee Center, Central Hospital of Bowie and the Bowie Public Library.
Team RABBITS extended their project to create fun-shaped crayons with silicone molds for children.
In addition to identifying a need and developing the solution, the team submitted documentation in a six-page paper, a scrapbook and a six-page addendum for the competition. The team learned it qualified for the international conference in Massachusetts. The district will support the trip but additional fund raising is planned.