Cupertino Students Blow Out the Tech Challenge

When it comes to STEM competition at the 26th Annual The Tech Challenge, described as the Bay Area’s premier design-challenge contest, a Lynbrook High School team— came away with first place for "Best Overall Solution."  

But when it comes to well-roundedness in STEM competition let's say Cupertino High School has all the bases covered. All, including "Most Spectacular Failure."

That much was evident by the winners list in 9th-12th grade division of the Tech Challenge, an annual program at The Tech Museum of Innovation that was held April 20-21. 

Sure, Lynbrook High School's Team #141, aka Cometz 141 took first in the top category, "Best Overall Solution. But for Cupertino, winning started in the middle.

First, students on team #304, aka "BadAsteroid," from Cupertino High School, took second place. That was followed by 3rd place by Team #176, aka "Girls on Fire,"a multi-school team that included Cupertino High students ("The Christa MacAuliffe Alums of Monta Vista, Lynbrook and Cupertino H.S.").

And finally, the Cupertino High School team dubbed "Phineas and Ferb" also garnered the top award in one category, “Most Spectacular Failure.”

"Your determination and fearlessness inspires us all!" gushed the Tech's Facebook page.

In truth, there were many, many winners, and many categories. 

All together, 3,562 students—competing in a record 662 teams—from around the Bay Area had to launch three delicate instrument packages (i.e., eggs) intact onto a "celestial mass" for the themed challenge, "Asteroids Rock!" 

Teams also competed for titles ranging from “Most Spectacular Failure” to “Best Engineering Design” to “Best Overall Solution.” Teams competed in the grades 5-6 and 9-12. 

The Tech Challenge makes teams invest months learning in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), "and reinforces 21st-century skills of creativity, problem solving, design, teamwork, leadership, presentation, risk-taking, perseverance, and learning from failure," the Tech Museum's literature says.

Organizers say the competition’s focus on a real-world problem distinguishes it from many other science-based programs for youth in grades 5 through 12 (how launching eggs onto faux asteroids is considered "real world" is perhaps another discussion).

“Problem solving is one of the most important things you can do to insure a bright future for yourselves,” Museum President Tim Ritchie told throngs of students during the awards ceremony. “Whatever you do, you must be able to add value.” 
 
For 26 years, The Tech Challenge has attracted some 17,000 young girls and boys throughout California, New York, and other regions to hone their creativity and innovation on challenges that included building devices to fight wildfires, remove invasive fish from a lake, explore an Egyptian tomb, and survey craters on Mars.
 
This year’s competition more than doubled its participants: 3,500 participants (1,400 last year), and 49 percent were girls (48 percent last year). The Tech Challenge also had the highest involvement of Title I schools of any science and technology competition in the region—45 percent, according to the institution.
 
The top award - "Best Overall Solution" - went to three teams each in the 5th-6thand 9th-12th grade divisions. Best Overall Solution encompasses device performance, engineering and design, style and presentation and the scientific process. The winning teams are:

9th-12th-grade Division
 
1st Place
Cometz 141
Team #141
Lynbrook High School
 
2nd Place
BadAsteroid
Team # 304
Cupertino High School
 
3rd Place
Girls on Fire
Team # 176
Christa McAuliffe Alums at Monta Vista, Lynbrook and Cupertino high schools

7th & 8th Grade Division

 Tech ScoutsTeam

# 122

Boy Scout Troop 408

2nd Place

CAT

Team #130

Homeschool

3rd Place

M&M BUX

Homeschoolers of the East Bay

5th-6th-grade Division
 
1st Place
InterGalactic Nerds
Team #307
Friends
 
2nd Place
Return of Epicness
Team #131
St. Andrews
 
3rd Place
Eggstronauts
Team #63
Synapse School