As the NCSSM Chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), we proudly compete in national STEM competitions that challenge students in innovation, engineering, and academic excellence. At the 2025 NSBE National Convention, our chapter showcased excellence across three flagship competitions: the KidWind Challenge, the Ten80 Autonomous Vehicle Challenge, and the Try-Math-A-Lon (TMAL). Through rigorous preparation and unmatched teamwork, we earned top national rankings and international qualification across these events. 

The KidWind Challenge is a national engineering competition focused on wind energy and sustainability. Our chapter competed in both divisions: the Open Division, where turbines are built entirely from scratch, and the standard KidWind Division, which operates with a provided kit. In the Open Division, we placed 1st nationally and qualified for the 2026 International Worlds Competition. In the standard division, we placed 3rd nationally. Our success was driven by rigorous manufacturing processes, aerodynamic testing, and design innovation, reflecting our commitment to renewable energy engineering. 

TMAL is a fast-paced academic competition that blends mathematics, logic, and real-world problem-solving. Our team secured 1st place nationally, making us three-time national champions. We led the competition by over 5,000 points and solved a problem that had gone unsolved for over a decade. This remarkable achievement highlights our team's exceptional analytical talent, collaboration, and deep commitment to academic excellence. 

The Ten80 AV Challenge tasks teams with designing, programming, and marketing autonomous vehicles using a systems-engineering approach. We earned 2nd place nationally, demonstrating expertise in coding autonomous navigation algorithms, integrating real-time sensors, and conducting performance testing. In addition to our engineering prowess, we excelled in marketing, branding, and data presentation, showing a well-rounded command of both technical and strategic skills. 

In partnership with Duke University’s BOOST Tutoring initiative, our NSBE chapter offers weekly academic support to K–12 students in underserved communities. Our members volunteer as tutors across subjects like math, science, history, and introductory engineering. We help students tackle challenging homework, build problem-solving skills, and develop the confidence they need to thrive academically. This program is part of our commitment to expanding STEM access and empowering the next generation of thinkers and leaders.