MANKATO — The Energetic Electrons, a team of 6th and 7th grade students from New Testament Christian School in Alexandria recently placed 6th at the Engineering Machine Design Championship that took place on Friday, April 22 at Minnesota State University, Mankato.
The contest is an opportunity for teams of three to 12 students in 5th through 12th grade to design and build a complex machine using everyday objects with the guidance of a coach. The completed machines use multiple steps to complete a simple task. The program is organized by the Minnesota State Engineering Center of Excellence.
This year’s Engineering Machine Design Contest theme was “Power the World: Engineering Energy.” A total of 28 teams competed in either the junior (5th-8th grade) or senior (9th-12th grade) division of the contest to become champions after advancing from one of the regional contest sites.
Through this program, students can explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) principles while having fun in a collaborative environment.
The overall goals are to:
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- Provide a low cost or affordable option for teams to compete.
- Inspire an interest in engineering and related career pathways.
- Equip students with skills that will help prepare them for future careers.
Sponsors of the Energetic Electrons include the Aagard Group, Douglas Machine and Brenton Engineering. The NTCS team missed finals by one point, but enjoyed every minute of the competition, according to school leaders. They added that this learning experience will go with them into the future, providing them with the needed skills of perseverance, working together and finding joy even when the outcome isn't moving to the final round.
