Children in grades five through eight are invited to get a team
together to design a new toy or game for the third annual
TOYchallenge.
Children in grades five through eight are invited to get a team together to design a new toy or game for the third annual TOYchallenge.
TOYchallenge was started by Sally Ride, the first woman in space, and Smith College’s Picker Engineering Program to engage children in a fun engineering activity.
Hasbro toys; Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society; Smith College; and Sally Ride Science are sponsors of the challenge.
To get started design teams must find an adult coach at least 18 years old, and sign up before Jan. 7. The fee is $25 per team, and teams can choose from themed-toy categories such as “Games for the Family,” “Get out and Play” and “Remarkable Robots.” Teams must create and submit their entries by Feb. 16 for the preliminary round entry, consisting of a written description and visual presentation of their original toy or game concept.
TOYchallenge guidelines and registration forms are available at www.TOYchallenge.com. Both boys and girls in grades five through eight may participate, but at least half of the members of each team must be girls. All submissions will be judged on originality, creativity, engineering elegance, feasibility, design process description, team participation and clarity of communication.
Judges from organizations including the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, Smith College, the Society of Women in Engineering and Hasbro will choose teams from the preliminary round to receive cash awards and advance to two National Showcases.
Preliminary round judging will be completed during National Engineering Week, Feb. 20-26. Category prize winners will be named at the National Showcases to be held at the San Diego Aerospace Museum on April 30 and the Sigma Xi Center in Research Triangle Park, N.C. on May 7. All Category-winning teams will be featured on the TOYchallenge Web site and each team member will receive a Hasbro toy and game package, autographed books or similar prizes. Two to three teams selected from the April and May National Showcases will receive all-expense paid trips to the TOYchallenge 2005 Final Judging and Awards Banquet, to be held at Hasbro’s world headquarters in Pawtucket, R.I. on May 13, where grand prizes will be awarded.
Last year’s prizes included a trip to Space Camp and the creation of personalized Hasbro figures in each team member’s likeness as well as a Thames & Kosmos Fuel Cell Car and Experiment Kit. All teams will receive certificates of participation. There will also be special awards for design, most educational, engineering, originality and team spirit.
Info: www.TOYchallenge.com
