From dresses to desserts, X-STREAM Games have something for everyone
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Where can you see robots battle it out, check out the latest fashions, and have a delicious treat all in the same place? The annual X-STREAM Games and Expo, the friendly competition where Catholic elementary STREAM students display their skills in science, technology, religion, engineering, art and math.
The 10th annual games were held May 4 at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Kenmore. Sponsored by the Diocese of Buffalo Catholic Schools, the competition focuses on the skills of collaboration, critical thinking, creative problem solving, and communication.
Fashionably Yours asked students to design clothes that incorporated repurposed materials. While only two schools participated in this inaugural competition, they each shared first place honors.
“We thought you had a different showcase of strengths,” said Rachel Zeller, STREAM coordinator for Catholic schools. “We especially loved your presentation. We especially loved your creative use of materials. The overall presentations were really excellent.”
For St. Mary School in Lancaster, Haley Patro served as model for a new outfit that included pockets made from a pillowcase.
“We wanted to do a really nice casual outfit, but we wanted to elevate it,” explained Patro. “We wanted to do a skirt and a strapped top.”
Avery Henrich, the spokesperson for their presentation, explained that her teacher asked her to do a project for the competition, and Henrich invited her friend Patro to help.
“Haley and I love fashion. We’ve had sheets that we’ve designed dresses and clothes on. So, doing this was a great opportunity for us,” Patro said.
SS. Peter & Paul School in Hamburg sent a younger but larger team that redesigned the school uniform.
Victoria Tremblay, led the team, using a Barbie doll as a model.
“We wanted to do a pre-teen current fashion. We also decided we wanted to make it school-themed,” Tremblay said. “We all came up with a crop top/tube top and skort.”
The collaboration allowed the team to begin work on their future career dreams, as everyone from the team contributed their ideas.
“I wanted to be a part of it because I had a passion to design clothes when I am older and have my own line,” Tremblay said.
The Kitchen Chemistry crews were tasked with creating a recipe that shows service through faith or a miracle. Christ the King School in Snyder chose to show the miracle of the great catch of fish through a 12-layer pastry cookie called Starlight Sugar Crisps.
“We did go through a couple of options,” explained Jason Swisher, one of the six seventh-graders on the team. “I make these with my grandma every Christmas, and I thought the twists in them looked like a fish’s body and tail.”
As the name implies, Cardboard Arcade mixed two elements together – classic arcade games and cardboard – to create low tech fun.
A Robotics Competition kicked off the 10th annual X-STREAM Games. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Displays lined the halls at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Kenmore during the X-STREAM Games on May 4. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Zoe Johnson from St. John the Baptist School in Alden, with her partner Corona Federo, created a Cheeseburger Challenge, where she scientifically learned which fast food burger is the healthiest. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
The kids at the X-STREAM Games and Expo haven’t built a real jet pack … yet. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Victoria Tremblay and the team from SS. Peter & Paul School in Hamburg – Caroline Smith, Penelope Partridge, Gabriella Rizzo, and Zoe Simon (not pictured) – explain how they designed and dressed Barbie in their new school uniform. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Avery Henrich and Haley Patro worked together to create a fun casual outfit for the Fashionably Yours competition at the May 4 X-STREAM Games. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Displays lined the halls at St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute in Kenmore during the X-STREAM Games on May 4. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
Bishop Michael W. Fisher stops by the SJCI cafeteria to check out the Kitchen Chemistry competition and talk with Savanah Brooks, Jacquie Adams, Janice Adams and Greg Adams at the X-STREAM Games. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi) 
As part of the X-STREAM Games Science Scrimmage, Nick Cumbo races his rubber band powered car. (Photo by Patrick J. Buechi)
Zeller was impressed with the enthusiasm of the students and the originality of the designs.
“There are so many really incredible things going on here. It blows my mind, the things you kids come up with,” she said.
The SME Hoopshot from students at St. Mary Elementary School in Lancaster was named the winner. Like the concept of the category, the game combined two different elements. When some of the team couldn’t decide on what game to build, they compromised.
“We made a contraption that was sort of a merge of one of those basketball games you would see at your local arcade and Plinko, which is a game where a ball would roll down a maze into a hole with points in it,” explained Luke Przybylak.
Harman Saini and Joshua Petroski served as construction engineers, cutting the cardboard sheets and plastic bottles then gluing them all together. The team worked on it during free periods at school.
“The hardest part I’d say was really just putting it together. We had all the parts. It was hard to put it together because there were so many parts,” said Saini.
The last competition involved racing cardboard cars powered by rubber band engines. Cars were judged by distance they traveled and materials used. They lose points for every item used.
Robert Hathaway from DeSales Catholic School in Lockport won the competition by sailing his car 70 centimeters.
“The body of the car is cardboard supported by skewers. I used CDs as the wheels, tape to hold it down,” he explained of the construction.
The 12-year-old put a lot of thought into creating a stable vehicle. He even gave up some points by using bottle caps to steady the wheels.
“The hardest part was probably thinking how to support the body when you pull the rubber band back,” he said.A robotics competition and science scrimmage also took place.
