Competitions
Major environmental issues including climate change and pollution are currently facing our world. Your team is being tasked to research environmental issues, identify one that your team would like to address, and create a solution to that issue. Build a prototype out of K’Nex that supports your solution.
Rules:
A team of 4 students (maximum) will work together on the project.
Teams may use up to 1400 pieces. Any pieces, as long as they are K’Nex, may be used. String, tape, and rubber bands are permitted.
Schools must bring their K’Nex pieces on the day of the competition.
Students will have 2 hours to put together their project at the competition.
Each team will need to bring a journal and a blueprint to the competition.
Each team will need to prepare a presentation (max 2 minutes) on their model and how they answered the challenge. Middle school students will also need to present their inventory.
Projects must fit on a 6-foot-long table. Water may not be used as part of the display.
Judging Criteria: THE UPDATED JUDGING RUBRIC CAN BE FOUND HERE.
Creativity
Teamwork
Challenge Success
Design
Presentation
Awards:
Awards will be given to top three teams in grades 4-5 and grades 6-8
Top team in each division at each regional IU competition will advance to the state competition
Competitions
The regional event will be held at the IU9 on March 28th (4th-5th grades) and 29th (6th-8th grades). Schools are welcome to bring up to THREE teams per group/day. Please register all teams as soon as possible, even if unsure of who the teams might consist of. That information can be filled in at a later date.
Parts of the competition:
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 photo, drawing, cad drawing, online sketch, etc. Be creative!
Prototype
Teams will answer the challenge by creating a prototype of their idea using K’Nex pieces.
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. Wate may not be used in the display.
Presentation
Teams are asked to share their ideas in a presentation for the judges via video.
Each presentation will be 2 minutes or less.
Every student on the team should present.
Judges may ask questions of the team after the presentation.
What is this Competition?
The PA Media and Design Competition is an annual event that highlights Pennsylvania students’ application skills, creativity and knowledge. Students are able to unleash their creativity, learn how to convey information more dynamically, and enhance the learning process.
How to Participate in the Regional Competition:
Students and advisors will work in districts to create submissions for the following categories: 3D Design, Animation, Digital Movie, Logo & Graphic Design, Programming, and Webpage Design.
To register, go to the PA Media and Design Website, select Registration, select Middle School or High School, select “Click here to submit a project…” and select “Submit a New Project” to continue to set up your project registration for IU9. This will register you and the student when you enter that information, giving you a project number you’ll want to hold onto. You do not need to upload the projects when you register – just before the April 7th deadline, so the project number will help you be able to log back in to upload that project closer to the due date. We appreciate your early registration as it helps our team prepare for judging, however, you will be able to register and submit up until the end of the day on April 7th at 11:59 PM EST if you’re uncertain.
Once registered at the Media and Design Competition Website, Advisors can assist their students in uploading their projects into the Media and Design Database.
Please make sure you review all rules and guidelines on the registration website for your respective categories.
After all submissions are finalized on April 7th, 2022 by 11:59 PM EST in the Media and Design Platform, judges will spend two weeks evaluating and judging all submissions.
On April 22nd, a regional competition presentation will be held (times to be shared at a later date) in which all winners will be announced.
Those who won their grade levels and categories will go to the state competition which is slated to occur on May 25th, face-to-face, at Dickinson College.
RULES AND GUIDELINES
All participants must register online at https://mediadesigncompetition.org.
Registration for the regional competition must be completed and submitted by the April 7th, 2022.
Students may participate individually or as a group. A student may submit an individual project and take part in a group project, however the projects cannot be in the same category.
Groups will be limited to three students.
Cash prizes awarded to a group project will be split a maximum of three ways.
A faculty advisor/sponsor must be identified. The faculty advisor/sponsor will be responsible for accompanying students during the regional and state competitions.
All communication will be provided through the faculty advisor/sponsor.
JUDGING
Preliminary judging: a minimum of two judges will view the project to determine a group of finalists.
Final judging: All judges will view each of the finalists projects and may require the students to answer questions.
All judging rubrics are posted on this website.
Judges may not have a direct association with the participants.
Judges’ decisions are final.
COPYRIGHT REQUIREMENTS
The PA Media and Design Competition, although educational, removes the student work from the classroom and therefore requires the student to get permission from the owner to use any copyrighted music, video, graphics, etc. Fair use does NOT apply. Remember to credit music or items that were created by yourself or friends as well.
Display boards or other items that are included with, but not part of, the project may not contain copyrighted material. Display boards are not judged for appearance, however, they will be inspected and can cause the project to be disqualified if copyrighted material is found.
The Copyright Signoff form, Project Narrative/Summary, and Photo Release form has been combined into one file for your convenience PA Media and Design Competition Participation Packet. This completed packet MUST accompany every project.
Students in grades 9th-12th
Teams of four
take the STEM skills they've learned in the classroom and put them to use on real-world projects
research, develop, and present a device or project that can improve the lives of Pennsylvanians
Registration opens Sept. 6th 2022
Virtual Event held by state organizers
Top 20 teams move onto the final round April 19, 2023 at PaTTAN Harrisburg
Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit 9, in conjunction with SUNTEX INTERNATIONAL, creators of the 24® game and First In Math® Online Program, is sponsoring a 24 Challenge® Math tournament for all 4-8th grade students!
When – Thursday, May 18th
Where – Seneca Highlands Intermediate Unit 9
Time - 9:00 AM – 12:30
Who - Students grades 4 - 8
You are able to register up to 3 students from each school to attend this regional event. (Please bring at least one proctor to the event along with the team coach - 2 adults)
Participants will be challenged with three editions of the 24 game; Single Digits, Double Digits and Variables.
The deadline for registering students is April 28th so please plan to have your school/district playoffs in plenty of time to meet the deadline. I will be sending a registration form to you in a few weeks.