Doug Howe, an engineer-turned-teacher at Lanikai Elementary, is helping infuse concepts from his former profession into the classroom in hopes of engaging students in the so-called STEM disciplines of science, technology, engineering and math.

STEM is more than just a buzzword at the school, where on a recent morning a science classroom was transformed into a bustling workshop as nearly four dozen sixth-graders eagerly experimented with prosthetic arms they fashioned out of everyday materials.

The project is part of a national competition for which Howe helped write the accompanying curriculum, with about 35,000 students participating nationwide.

"I like to see the kids be afforded the opportunity to encounter unexpected results. Kids don’t get enough of that," said Howe, who teaches fourth grade at Lanikai Elementary, a public charter school. "The engineering design process allows them to do that. They get to think about it and reapproach it and try again."

The annual engineering design competition is put on by the national nonprofit MESA — an acronym for Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement — which has affiliate programs in nine states. States typically run their MESA programs as after-school programs aimed at preparing middle school and high school students for careers in mathematics, engineering, science and technology.

Hawaii isn’t yet an official MESA member, but Howe’s past involvement with the group led to this year’s pilot program at Lanikai, after conversations with school Director Ed Noh and sixth-grade science and robotics teacher Parker Sawyer.

"The program Doug has introduced has been truly engaging for the students," Noh said. "I speak as one who has observed the program in action and, perhaps more importantly, seen the excitement from the students."

Sawyer said, "It’s really great having the kids come in and be excited to work with tools and create an end product. We study scientific method all year, so to involve engineering, which is very hands-on, it’s really fun for the students."

The school’s 43 sixth-graders worked in small teams to build transradial — below the elbow — prosthetic arms using affordable materials.

To test functionality, students had to put on the arms and complete two timed tasks: accurately toss balls of various sizes into target baskets, and lift and move items of different sizes, weights, shapes and consistencies into a container. Students were not allowed to use their wrist, forearm or fingers to operate the prosthetic arms.

Howe said the design process required strong math, science, biology, engineering and mechanical skills.

"I think it was a very cool project. It was complex and helped you use your brain," sixth-grader Padgett Carpenter said.

Students had to stay within certain parameters for their prosthetic limbs, including a 3-kilogram weight limit (about 61⁄2 pounds) and a $40 price limit on materials.

To stay within budget, students used PVC pipes, wood, string, screws, springs and Velcro. Some fashioned shoulder harnesses out of old backpack straps to help maneuver scissor tongs as pincer-like "fingers."

"It’s way better to be hands-on instead of just reading a textbook," sixth-grader Emma Mosher said. "You got a big bucket of really cool materials and got to use whatever we want."

Howe said past MESA competition projects have included designing wind turbines, solar lighting and water filtration systems. "Some kids at the national level have seen their designs picked up and expanded on," he said.

Because the MESA program is a pilot at Lanikai, the students won’t be participating in regional or national competitions this year, but Howe and Sawyer plan to hold a class competition.

Howe said he hopes to help Hawaii become a MESA member state. "It provides students experiences that are relevant with strong linkages back to STEM concepts," he said.