Fourth Graders from Hickman Mills School District place high in Battle of the Brains

By Kathy Feist

Twenty fourth-grade students have put Ingels Elementary School on the STEM map today. 

Competing with 20 other schools, ranging from elementary to high school, Ingels Elementary from the Hickman Mills School District took home Fifth Place in Burns & McDonnell’s “Battle of the Brains” STEM competition held at Union Station Wednesday morning. 

“I am so proud of them! They worked so hard,” said 4th Grade teacher Melody Gibeson. “I’m glad they are getting the credit they deserve for how amazing they are.”

Gibeson says the students worked primarily on their own with some help from herself and library specialist Audrey Peters. 

“I’m in shock,” said Peters who also attended the awards ceremony. “It’s extraordinary!”

The event was recorded live on Facebook for district staff, students and families. 

“Our hearts are full of pride for the students of Ingels Elementary,” said Hickman Mills Superintendent Dr. Dennis Carpenter in a written statement. “Their #5 regional ranking among 710 proposals in the Battle of the Brains is a powerful validation of our students’ incredible talents. This achievement was made possible by the unwavering mentorship and support of our dedicated staff, who guided them every step of the way. This is a proud moment for all of HMC-1.”

The concept the students chose was “Inside Outside.”

Their presentation explained the mechanics of the body through interactive activities that could eventually be incorporated into an exhibit at Science City at Union Station. The students also researched the costs of their potential exhibit and created commercials promoting their project. 

Ingel’s Elementary competed with 710 teams from across the region, amounting to 6007 students. On January 14th, they were announced as one of the 20 finalists. 

All finalists received $2500 for their school’s STEM program.

But on Wednesday morning, that amount grew to $10,000 for Ingel’s Elementary when they took 5th place. 

Gibeson says the school has not determined yet how they will spend the money. 

Ultimately the winning prize went to Tonganoxie Middle School for the concept “Mechanical Madness: The Science of Cars.” The prize includes $50,000 for the school and will be designed and constructed by Burns & McDonnell into a permanent, interactive experience at Science City. Set to open in 2027, the exhibit will invite visitors to go under the hood to explore how cars work and how engineering shapes movement throughout the world.

The other winners included:

• Second place: $25,000 — Cottonwood Point Elementary School, Blue Valley Schools, “Sound All Around”
• Third place: $20,000 — Graden Elementary School, Park Hill School District, “Subterranean Secrets”
• Fourth place: $15,000 — Clinton Middle School, Clinton School District, “Disaster Strikes”

Ingel’s Elementary is part of the Hickman Mills School District, which has had its list of challenges recently, including gaining re-accreditation from the state. In the last few years, student performance has increased higher than normal in the state’s Annual Performance Review. The school is expected to regain accreditation next year if the trend continues. 

This is the first time that a school from Hickman Mills School District has been a finalist in the Battle of the Brains. Gibeson has submitted concepts five other times to the competition. 

“It’s so hard to get into this room,” said Burns & McDonnell Foundation director Julee Koncak to the finalists at Union Station. “But you made it!”

“There were 710 teams that submitted ideas for Battle of the Brains,” said Burns & McDonnell Chairman and CEO Leslie Duke. “We looked at every one of them and picked twenty. Congratulations!” 

“This is the same floor that Walt Disney walked on. Each of you is as important as he is,” said Union Station President and CEO George Guastello. “We want to inspire you to dream big!”

To further emphasize the unique experience, Guastello added, “This is the only Science City in the world that lets students determine the next exhibit.”   

The current exhibit, “Light Lab,” was inspired by Delta Woods Middle School, part of the Blue Springs School District. It was installed in May 2025. Burns & McDonnell founded “Battle of the Brains” in 2011.