The Michigan Industrial Technology Education Society (MITES) has been hosting a project-based competition for over 90 years.  The competition is broken down into numerous categories, and my students typically enter projects into 25 to 30 different categories across Mechanical Drafting, Architectural Drafting, and Animation.  They choose projects to work on during the school year, and in the spring we take the projects to compete at a local regional competition and then the state finals.  If the project places top 3 at the state finals, the student is awarded with a plaque.  This is my favorite competition, as every student in my year-long classes competes and can showcase their strengths.  Additionally, the class can earn the distinction of being the strongest in program history, and individual students can be recognized as the "Darling of MITES" for the strongest individual performance of the school year.  More information about MITES can be found HERE.

1st Place (Plaque):

Josiah Rentchler             MD1A                     Rod Support

Chris Okarski                  MD2A                     Kinetic Car

Karinne Stacey               MD3A                     Hanger

Sydney Chandler           MD4A                     Key

Karinne Stacey              MD5A                     Northrop P61 Black Widow

Karinne Stacey              MD7A                     Grinder Vice

Ryan Braley                    MD15A                  Superbowl Ring

Chris Okarski                 MD16A                  Canopy Actuating Mechanism

Erin Connor                   AD4A                     2 Story House

Abby Morton                 AD5A                     Townhouse

Joe Lentine                     AN4A                    Medical Drone

2nd Place (Plaque):

Lauren Sayre                 MD1A                   Corner Brace

Gabby Zapolnik             MD2A                   Slide Tool

Josiah Rentschler          MD3A                   Cam

Tobias Schmidt             MD4A                   Piston

Sydney Chandler          MD5A                   Nikon F2

Tyler Stachler                MD7A                   Nakajima Ki84la Hayate

Joe Lentine                    MD9A                   Model Hot Air Engine

Tobias Schmidt             MD18A                3D Tiger Puzzle

Karinne Stacey              AD4A                   The Stacey House

Johnny Monge               AD5A                   Frame House

Bahkari Bridgewater    AN4A                   Camera Shutter Animation

3rd Place (Plaque):

Logan Bruneau             MD1A                   Control Block

Lauren Sayre                 MD2A                   Belt Tightener

Matt Hargrove              MD3A                    Pratt and Whitney Aircraft

Andrew Sanderson      MD4A                    Lever Bracket

Lauren Sayre                MD5A                    Grandfather Clock

Dane Hoffman             MD7A                    Car Chassis

Tobias Schmidt            MD15A                  Pacman Amiibo

Dale Sievert                  MD15B                 Glow Engine

Kirk Stow                      MD16A                  Gripper Rod Center

Alex Hartmann            MD22A                  T65B X-Wing

1st Place (Plaque):

Nick Brewer                MD-4A          Lock Plate

Lizy Pollack                 MD-3A          Shift Lever

Chris Okarski              MD-2A          Tool Rest

Tyler Stachler             MD-3C          Shift Lever

2nd Place (Plaque):

Quinn Foster               AD-8A          Restaurant Design

Connor Hibbard         MD-3C          Hanger

Chris Okarski              MD-3A          Template

Lizy Pollack                 MD-5A          Train

Josiah Rentschler      MD-10C        Gauge Cover Plate

Alli Skiba                    AD-12A        Grand Canyon

Tobias Schmidt         AD-4C         Model House

Finn Thompson        MD-18A        Stuffing Box

Annie Frego              MD-2A          Sliding Door Guide

3rd Place (Plaque):

Max Kelley               MD-4A            Bearing Bracket

Max Kelley               MD-10A          Form Roll Lever

Jared Lewallen        AD-5A            Balsa Wood Home

Josiah Rentschler   MD-5C            Tool Post

Josiah Rentschler   MD-3C            Locating V Block

Lauren Sayre          MD-2A            Caster

Lauren Sayre          MD-5A            Stuffing Box

Austin Welch           MD-3A           Trip Lever

Anthony                   MD-7A           Stock Bracket for Cold Saw

Skuta-Sulkowski

1st Place (Plaque):

Ken Hodges           AD-5A   Open Frame Home

                                 MD-2A   Stuffing Box

                                 MD-5A   Drill Press Vice

                                  MD-7A   Shaft Bearing

August VanHout    MD-1A   Swing Bracket

August VanHout    MD-3A   Gasket

2nd Place (Plaque):

Jake Diuble            MD-3A    Template

Pat Drumm           MD-7A    Pillow Block

Lee Luckhardt       MD-5A    Tool Post

Lee Luckhardt       MD-15A  Drill Press Bracket

                                 MD-1A    Locating V Block

                                 MD-18A  Tool Holder

Haleigh Stovall      AD-5A    Frame Livingroom

August VanHout   MD-4A    Connector

August VanHout   MD-2A    Drill Jig

3rd Place (Plaque):

Max Auerbach       MD-3A   Form Roll Lever

Erin Conner           AD-4C    Model Home

Pat Drumm           MD-18A  Flipper Dog

Pat Drumm           MD-5A    Drill Press Jig

George Herman   MD-1A    Guide Bearing

Lee Luckhardt      MD-4A    Toggle Lever

Lee Luckhardt      MD-2A    Lap Dovetail Assembly

Lee Luckhardt      MD-7A    Lap Dovetail Exploded

                                 MD-15A  Offset Bearing

Haleigh Stovall     AD-9A    Ranch Home