Brighton, MI South Pole Patrol TOYchallenge 2008 West Coast Nationals Grand Prize Winner at Qualcomm Stadium
The fun-fueled toy- and game-design competition, created and run by Sally Ride Science, is intended to motivate middle school-age kids, especially girls, to pursue their interests in science and engineering education and careers. Northrop Grumman Foundation is the presenting sponsor. Southwest Airlines is the official airline of TOYchallenge for the fourth year in a row.
"TOYchallenge offers an opportunity to inspire young people to develop through learning and see the value in teamwork," said Sandra Evers-Manly, president of the Northrop Grumman Foundation. "This is one way we are connecting with middle-school students to get them excited about math, science and engineering."
South Pole Patrol —comprised of middle school students Kelly Redmond, Natalie Sanders, and Brielle Haupt, and coached by Pat Redmond— was awarded the grand prize for Puff that Penguin!, Puff that Penguin requires two players to compete by “puffing” small round penguins into the safety of the igloos at the opposite end of the playing table using only a vortex generator on a swivel. When a player successfully puffs his/her penguin into the igloo, the igloo will light, an audible sound will be heard and a point will be added to the scoreboard using a programmed microcomputer. High score wins! Each team member received a round trip airfare to anywhere in the Continental United States courtesy of Southwest Airlines and a trophy.
Category prize winning teams were also chosen with each member receiving a certificate, medal, a Thames and Kosmos Microcontroller and Physics Kit.
Games for the Family
Hi 5 of Moorpark, CA comprised of Ashleigh MacLean, Xandrie Martinez and Sarah Morningred, Sarah Bobardt, Erin Morningred, and coached by Duane Morningred and Kathy Morningred.
“Trolls and Goats” – Players start as goats and move around on a circular game board answering riddles, and trying to collect enough gold to become the troll. There’s a “shortcut” bridge that may close or you may get to spin the game board and send everyone else backwards
Get Out and Play
Pop-A-Swing-A-Matic of Colorado Springs, CO comprised of Kerry Pedersen, Jessica Larson, Anna Beckman, and Danielle Bullock, and coached by Michael Larson.
“Pop-A-Swing-A-Matic” –a fast-paced, active outdoor game. The game has two to eight players positioned on a 10ft X 10ft canvas playing surface around a central motor which swings a soft pool noodle at knee height. The players must hop over the noodle while tossing balls into a spinning basket. The first to get three points, counted as baskets made minus touches by the noodle, is the winner.
Toys That Teach
"Riservatezza"of Phoenix, AZ comprised of Kate Yanish, Maggie Otlewski, Erin Fowler, and TEAM MEMBER NAME, and coached by Maureen Hill.
“Fun at the Market” – A fun-filled board game that encourages a healthy lifestyle and food group education. It combines activities and exercise while teaching about nutrition and healthy living.
There were also special medals and certificates given for Team Spirit and Engineering Excellence, and all teams received certificates of participation.
For TOYchallenge’s Preliminary Round, teams comprised of at least 50 percent girls, submitted written descriptions and visual presentations of their original toy or game concepts based on themed categories including Games for the Family, Get Out and Play, and Toys that Teach. Out of several hundred teams, 60 Preliminary Round finalists were invited to advance to the Nationals. The submissions were judged on originality, creativity, engineering elegance, feasibility, design process description, team participation and clarity of communication. All teams received certificates of participation.
The TOYchallenge East Coast Nationals were held on May 17th at the United States Patent and Trademark Office in Alexandria, VA. TOYchallenge 2009 will launch in the summer of 2008. For more information, please visit www.TOYchallenge.com or call 800.561.5161.
TOYchallenge (www.TOYchallenge.com) is designed to engage middle school-age students, especially girls, in science and engineering and to inspire them to pursue careers in those fields. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women comprise only 11 percent of the engineering workforce. However, studies show that, in elementary school, equal numbers of girls and boys are interested in--and good at--math, science and technology. Unfortunately, beginning around the sixth grade, more girls than boys drift away from these subjects. While open to all fifth through eighth graders in the U.S., TOYchallenge focuses on catching girls’ attention in these subjects in order to keep them in the engineering “pipeline.” TOYchallenge is created and run by Sally Ride Science. Northrop Grumman Foundation is the presenting sponsor. Southwest Airlines is the official airline of TOYchallenge for the second year in a row.
About Sally Ride Science
Sally Ride Science is an innovative science content company dedicated to fueling girls’ and boys’ interests in science, math and technology. Dr. Sally Ride, best known as America’s first woman in space, founded the company in 2001 to create quality programs and products that educate, entertain, engage and inspire. Our programs include Sally Ride Science Festivals, TOYchallenge, Educator Institutes, summer camps, and after-school programs. Our publications include award-winning science books, science career books, and innovative Classroom Sets to supplement science instruction. Our publications and programs bring science to life and show kids that science is creative, collaborative, fascinating and fun. For more information go to www.SallyRideScience.com or call 1-800-561-5161.
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