A model for a successful high school engineering design competition

We have developed an engineering design competition for pre-college students which is educational, fun, and successful. Now in its 4th year, nearly half of the high schools in the state participate at some level, and a number of these have incorporated the contest into their physics curriculum. The contest is called Design TASC (Technology and Science Connection) since engineering design couples science and technology. Key features of this competition include the following: (1) a design problem which may be solved inexpensively with readily available materials and which is relevant to the first-semester of the high school physics course; (2) an associated portfolio competition which teaches participants how to document the engineering design process; (3) the involvement of both practicing engineers and undergraduate engineering majors as reviewers and judges. The contest gives participants some design experience they might not otherwise get in high school, and it encourages students to learn more about engineering.