Rebekah Hyatt (holding check, right) traveled to Grapevine ISD to award the $3000 scholarship to GHS student Sophia Tearman (holding check, left). L-R: Grace Peacock, Ashley Knight, Tearman (recipient), Hyatt, Andriy Malyshchak, Shon Slatton (teacher), and Jaden Kim.
June 7, 2021–Sophia Tearman of Grapevine High School has been selected as the 2020-2021 recipient of the Brett Williams Scholarship, awarded annually by SystemsGo, the Texas-based nonprofit STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) program.
The $3000 scholarship was established by the SystemsGo Board of Directors in 2017 to sustain the legacy of founding instructor Brett Williams. It is a merit-based scholarship awarded to a current high school senior that has completed the Tsiolkovsky level curriculum and launched a rocket designed to take a one-pound payload to one mile, or to break the sound barrier.
“Being able to grant this scholarship award at the end of such a tough year is especially gratifying,” said Rebekah Hyatt SystemsGo Program Director. “We look forward to Sophia Tearman making a positive impact on the world, and we commend all our students for their determination and perseverance through this challenging school year.”
Tearman is a member of the first graduating class of the Grapevine High School STEM Program. She plans to attend the University of New England in Maine in the fall to study marine biology. She recently completed a Capstone AP research project exploring whether Plant Microbial Fuel Cells would be a viable source of renewable energy in a household setting.
Tearman received an endorsement from her instructor at Grapevine High School, Shon Slatton.
After missing its 2020 rocket launch season due to the pandemic, SystemsGo was able to launch 150 student-built rockets at four launch sites across Texas and New Mexico this spring.
SystemsGo uses a problem and project-based model to invoke and stimulate skills in design, development, testing, analysis, and innovation. It currently is used in dozens of high schools across four states. More information at www.systemsgo.org.