Students innovate at 30th Tech Challenge

San Jose, CA, April 30, 2017 -- Thousands of students from across Northern California participated in the 30th annual Tech Challenge, sponsored by Dell, this weekend. More than 2,500 students worked in teams for months designing and building devices to help explorers cross an ice field with multiple ravines. They put their projects to the test in front of cheering crowds at The Tech Museum of Innovation.

The 30th annual Tech Challenge had more than 2,500 students in grades 4-12 participate in one of the country's longest running engineering competitions. Students built devices that attempted to cross a pair of gaps during the two-day showcase held at The Tech Museum of Innovation. More than 600 teams participated in The Tech Challenge 2017, a signature program of The Tech Museum of Innovation. Since 1988 more than 20,000 students have participated in what has became one of the country's longest running engineering competitions.

“This year’s Tech Challenge was an enormous milestone for a program that has inspired generations of students in our community,” said Tim Ritchie, president and CEO of The Tech. “The future scientists and engineers that our world will come to depend on again demonstrated that the tradition of designing solutions to complicated problems is alive and well here in the world’s capital of innovation.”

The Tech Challenge, a signature program of The Tech Museum of Innovation, invites teams of students in grades 4-12 to use engineering design to solve a real-world problem. It reinforces 21st century skills including creativity, problem solving, design, teamwork, leadership, risk-taking, perseverance and learning from failure.

“The Tech Challenge helped me realize how important teamwork is for solving problems,” said Kimberly Lopez, an 8th grade student from Ocala Middle School in San Jose. “When something failed, we worked together to try and fix it. I learned about robotics with this challenge and am definitely considering a career in engineering.”

As a result of the design of the program, The Tech Challenge attracts a diverse group of participants. In recent years, 45 percent of the participants have been girls and more than 40 percent come from low-income communities, both of which are rarities in traditional engineering and science competitions.

“Dell is proud to support of The Tech Challenge,” said Todd Forsythe, the Senior Vice President of Digital Marketing at Dell. “The world will always need innovative problem solvers, and The Tech Challenge has helped to develop those skills in students for 30 years.”

The Tech Challenge would not be possible without the enduring support of hundreds of educators. This year’s Bob Grimm Award for an Extraordinary Educator was given to Allannah Ujifusa of Cupertino High School.

Bob Grimm, who passed away in 2015, was a longtime champion of The Tech Challenge. He was a stalwart supporter of providing STEM education resources to all.

Key sponsors supporting The Tech Challenge include presenting sponsor Dell, Cisco Systems Inc., SAP, Intel, Bank of America, Genentech and Cadence.

For more information visit The Tech Challenge website.

Media Contact: Jeff Gire | Communications Manager | 408-802-3397 | [email protected]

About The Tech Museum of Innovation

The Tech is a hands-on technology and science museum for people of all ages and backgrounds. The museum — located in the Capital of Silicon Valley — is a non-profit experiential learning resource established to engage people in exploring and experiencing applied technologies affecting their lives. The Tech Challenge and Tech Awards are signature programs of The Tech. The Tech’s mission is to inspire the innovator in everyone.

Top Awards

4th and 5th Grade Division

Best Overall 1st Place

Team name: TRESPASSERS

School: The Harker School

Best Overall 2nd Place

Team name: Arctic Infusion

School: The Harker School

Best Overall 3rd Place

Team name: Highland Tech Masters

School: Highland Elementary

6th Grade Division

Best Overall 1st Place

Team Name: Flaming Firebirds

School: Cupertino Middle School

Best Overall 2nd Place

Team name: Einstein Erasers

School: Miller (Joaquin) Middle School

Best Overall 3rd Place

Team name: Science Squad Team A

Schools: Warm Springs Elementary and Stratford School

7th and 8th Grade Division

Best Overall 1st Place

Team name: A3R2MY

Schools: Peterson Middle School, Valley Christian Middle School, and Stratford School

Best Overall 2nd Place

Team name: Endless Potatoes

School: Charter School of Morgan Hill

Best Overall 3rd Place

Team name: Team Solo Bridge

School: Hopkins (William) Junior High School

High School Division

Best Overall 1st Place

Team Name: Team Uh

School: Cupertino High School

Best Overall 2nd Place

Team name: Branson Bulls

School: The Branson School

Best Overall 3rd Place

Team name: The Reachers

School: Cupertino High School

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/b63ee429-4b06-48fd-a636-73fd3b148947

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4f1255f-c748-4efd-9478-c04b4bd4da45

Attachments:

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/143ca2fa-22a5-40f1-b29a-ba2b6776fa04

Jeff Gire
The Tech Museum of Innovation 
408-802-3397
[email protected]