STEM Design Challenge
2025 Challenge
In this challenge, elementary and middle school students will focus on Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure (UN Sustainable Development Goal 9) by designing a prototype that addresses a real-world problem related to infrastructure, transportation, or urban development. The goal is to inspire students to think about how cities, roads, bridges, and systems can be built or improved to be more efficient, sustainable, and accessible.
Competition Rules:
A team of 2-4 students will work together on the project.
Students must create their prototype using no more than 1400 K’Nex and/or Engino pieces. String, tape, and rubber bands are permitted.
Teams must bring their materials to the competition and will have 2 hours to recreate their project for judging.
There can be no pre-constructed components brought to the competition. Protypes must be built "from scratch."
Projects must fit on a 6-foot-long table. Water may not be used as part of the display.
Each team will need to create and submit a design notebook and a blueprint for viewing at the competition.
Each team will need to prepare a presentation (2 minutes or less) on their model and how it answers the challenge.
Design Notebook
This should be a journal of the team’s progress from start to finish.
The Notebook should include elements of the Engineering Design Process.
Blueprint
A blueprint is a technical drawing or design plan for a project. It is used to represent the final product.
Blueprints for the STEM Design Challenge can be a drawing, cad drawing, online sketch, etc. Be creative!
Prototype
Teams will answer the challenge by creating a prototype of their idea using K’Nex and/or Engino.
Teams may include a backdrop or artwork, but judges will not consider this in their scoring.
Projects must fit on a 6-foot-long table. Water may not be used in the display.
