On April 30, 2025, the Berks County Intermediate Unit (BCIU) hosted the annual Sea, Air, & Land (SeAL) Challenge at the Berks Career and Technology Center (BCTC) West Campus. This STEM initiative engages high school students in a 12- to 16-week, hands-on learning experience centered on engineering, design, and robotics.
Throughout the program, student teams worked collaboratively to design and construct robotic systems capable of performing mission-based tasks that simulate real-life scenarios encountered by the military, national security agencies, and first responders. The program culminated in Challenge Day, where teams put their robots to the test in one of three categories: Sea, Air, or Land.
This year’s event brought together approximately 110 students from high schools across Berks and Schuylkill counties. Three teams competed in the Sea challenge, four in the Air challenge, and eight in the Land challenge. The U.S. National Guard generously sponsored lunch, and attendees heard from keynote speaker John Sibole, President of STEM Hands-On, who spoke about the value of STEM education and its practical applications.
A panel of 11 judges representing local businesses and organizations in Berks County evaluated the competition.
Congratulations to the 2025 SeAL Challenge winners:
Sea Challenge
1st Place – Questionable Engineers, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute
2nd Place – Marine Tech Titans, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute
3rd Place – Sea Team 6, Blue Mountain School District
Air Challenge
1st Place – Black Ops, Blue Mountain School District
2nd Place – Airheads, Lehigh Career and Technical Institute
3rd Place – Minersville, Minersville School District
Land Challenge
1st Place – Eagles, Blue Mountain School District
2nd Place – Mal Function, Berks Career and Technology Center
3rd Place – Puma, Berks Career and Technology Center
The BCIU extends its appreciation to all participating students, educators, sponsors, and judges for their contributions to the success of the 2025 SeAL Challenge and for their continued support of STEM education throughout our region.