Tech Challenge

Program Contact: Amy Hung

Email: steindorf.tc@gmail.com  

 

 

 

 

What is Tech Challenge?

The Tech Challenge is a months-long program for teams in Grades 4–12 to develop engineering skills. The program is meant to inspire the next generation by allowing students to build key skills such as collaboration, teamwork, critical thinking and perseverance. Through this hands-on project students will brainstorm, build, test, document and have fun creating their solutions.

 
 

WHO CAN PARTICIPATE?

The program is open to students in Grades 4-12. Students work in teams of 2-6 members and each team must have 1 adult adviser. We have teams from schools, afterschool programs, homeschoolers and even groups of engineering loving students with parent advisers.  Each team brings their unique design ideas and energy to this exciting and educational program.

 
 

A NEW CHALLENGE EVERY YEAR 

Each year the intrepid Tech Challenge team at The Tech design a new challenge that relates to a real world problem.  Past challenges focused on water conservation, repairing a satellite and building structures to withstand earthquakes, wind storms and more.

 

 

General timeline for 2025-26

  • Nov - Tech Museum releases the overall theme of the following year's challenge.  I will start a survey for interested students 
  • Dec - Tech Museum publishes specifications/ requirements/ measurements. Organize teams by grade, register teams. Parent advisors go to trainings as needed.
  • Jan - Feb: student teams begin meeting once a week. Parent advisors determine schedule & location
  • March: Test Trials; student teams should meet 2x per week as needed
  • April: practice interviews, compile Engineering Journal -  student teams should meet 2x per week 
  • Early May: Final Showcase
 
Note to parents
  • This is a full time extracurricular 1-2 days per week, 2 hours each session from January - early May.  Total approx 120 - 200 hours commitment or more per student.
  • Team parents should actively provide guidance to their students during each session, esp 4th and 5th graders. Parent Leaders are not babysitting your child, do not expect to drop off your child.  
  • This is a student-led project, not a parent project. 
  • Generally no robotics/ electronics 

 

2024-2025 RECAP

 

Steindorf’s 7th grade teams win for “Outstanding Device Performance” and “Outstanding Engineering Design Process"

 

Team members met 3-4 hours a week for 3-4 months iterating their prototypes to adjust materials of wheels, axles, weights, strings, pulleys, etc to find the right balance of height, weight, momentum, power, and torque.  Each team also compiled an Engineering Journal and practiced for Judges Interview, culminating in the Final Showcase this past weekend.

 

208 teams in the 4-5th grade category 

150 teams from 6th grade

150 teams in 7th-8th grade

126 teams in high school

 

Every Wednesday and some Saturdays over the last few months, the team has worked diligently on the Engineering Journal and practiced interviewing with faculty members.

 

Coming up:

  • May 8 Maker Faire - we will coordinate with Mr. Schertle for the team to host their device from 5-6pm with a flyer explaining what the Tech Challenge is and the award they received.
  • STEAM TV - we are brainstorming on what this may look like
  • Assembly

 

We are so proud of the team and all their efforts, and thank you again for your support!!!

 

7th grade girls video https://photos.google.com/u/2/share/AF1QipNBjBP5fYDty7ljoFakNPhrWHtx1hT-i2-8rlAVsCisUKTCiWXkqKGvejYqsDeWZQ

7th grade boys video https://photos.app.goo.gl/LDH5WzWCvoXzDtNE8