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Four students from Robert Gordon Elementary School in Roselle Park won first place in the elementary division of New Jersey’s 2026 STEAM Tank Challenge State Finals. Daniella, Valentina, Victoria and Harper created “Fire Safe Teddy,” described by event organizers as a fire-and-smoke emergency kit intended to help children stay safe and escape a burning building. The final was held October 21, 2026, at the Atlantic City Convention Center during the New Jersey School Boards Association conference.
What did Roselle Park students invent?
Fire Safe Teddy is a child-focused fire and smoke emergency-kit concept. AIA New Jersey’s account of the championship describes it as a design intended to assist children during a fire, particularly with staying safe and getting out of a burning building. News 12 also reported that the team’s invention was designed around children’s safety during fires.
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The available accounts identify the project as a student invention or prototype. They do not identify a manufacturer, commercial model, retail listing or product launch, so Fire Safe Teddy should not be treated as an item currently available for purchase.
Who won the New Jersey STEAM Tank Challenge?
Robert Gordon Elementary’s team—Daniella, Valentina, Victoria and Harper—won the elementary-division state championship. The Roselle Park School District announced the result on October 21, with principal Ms. Dougherty writing, “We are thrilled to announce that Robert Gordon Elementary School has WON FIRST PLACE in the 2026 STEAM Tank Challenge State Finals!”
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The result places the Roselle Park students among the elementary champions recognized through the New Jersey School Boards Association’s STEAM Tank program. The program’s divisions include elementary, middle and high school teams, although the reported Roselle Park victory was specifically in elementary.
Where was the STEAM Tank final held?
The state final took place at the Atlantic City Convention Center on October 21, 2026, during the New Jersey School Boards Association’s conference. The New Jersey School Boards Association listed Team Fire Safe Teddy from Robert Gordon School among the elementary-division champions advancing to its annual Workshop in Atlantic City.
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How many teams entered the 2026 competition?
Published participation totals differ, and the sources appear to describe different points in the season. The New Jersey School Boards Association reported 618 team entries from 108 schools across 78 school districts in all 21 New Jersey counties. AIA New Jersey reported 680 teams at the start of the competition, with 330 advancing to regionals and 50 reaching the final round in April. Because neither account reconciles the figures, they should be read as separate, attributed counts rather than combined into one total.
What did the Roselle Park celebration include?
The district said the students would receive a special hometown celebration after returning from the state finals. Local police officers and firefighters welcomed the champions home, and the Roselle Park Fire Department joined the hometown-heroes reception described in the district announcement and News 12’s report.
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The first-responder welcome connected the project’s subject—fire safety—to the community professionals who respond to emergencies. It also gave the students’ school achievement a visible local celebration beyond the competition venue.
How does STEAM Tank support student learning?
The competition is structured around student teams developing solutions to real-world problems and presenting them to judges. The published accounts do not provide a complete scoring rubric, so the exact weighting of prototype practicality, problem definition, presentation and judging cannot be established from those reports.
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The New Jersey School Boards Association reported a pilot with Kean University in which teacher candidates serve as judges and mentors. Kean Assistant Professor Dr. Karen Woodruff said the collaboration prepares pre-service teachers to lead student-centered, place-based learning connected to real-world challenges.
AIA New Jersey said it has supported NJSBA STEAM Tank since the program began. Its past president, Stacey Ruhle Kliesch, AIA, served as a juror at the 2026 championship. The elementary and middle school champions could earn a combined $10,000 for their schools’ STEAM or STEM programs, with the prize money sponsored by the Educational Leadership Foundation of New Jersey.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can I buy Fire Safe Teddy?
There is no verified retail source for Fire Safe Teddy. The reported sources identify a school project, not a commercially manufactured product, and do not provide a company, model number or sales listing. A smoke alarm, fire blanket, plush toy or generic children’s emergency kit would be a different product and should not be presented as the students’ invention.
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Why this win matters
Fire Safe Teddy demonstrates how an elementary team used a familiar safety problem to frame a STEAM project with a practical purpose. The statewide result also shows the scale of the program: teams move from entry and regional stages to a final judged championship, with school-program funding attached to the top elementary and middle-school results.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many schools and districts were represented in the STEAM Tank season?
The New Jersey School Boards Association reported entries from 108 schools in 78 districts spanning all 21 New Jersey counties. That figure accompanies its separate report of 618 team entries.
Who sponsored the STEAM Tank championship prize money?
The Educational Leadership Foundation of New Jersey sponsored the prize money. NJSBA said the elementary and middle school champions could earn a combined $10,000 for their schools’ STEAM or STEM programs.
Was Fire Safe Teddy evaluated under a published scoring rubric?
The event accounts reviewed do not publish a complete scoring rubric or the winning team’s numerical scores. They identify the divisions, competition stages and judges but do not state how categories such as presentation or prototype practicality were weighted.
Did Fire Safe Teddy go on sale after the competition?
No source confirms a commercial launch, manufacturer or retail listing. The project is documented as a student invention or prototype presented at the 2026 state final.
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