Any student enrolled in 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade who lives in the University of Montevallo In-Service region. 

Students will work in teams of 3-5 to design (coding teams may only have 3 members), construct and test a previously assigned engineering task, without ANY outside assistance. A set of materials, instructions, and rubric will be provided on the day of E³, but not before. 

*This is important to the nature of the challenge and assessing the students’ ability to apply their knowledge in new situations. 

Registration has 2 parts: 

Part 1 opens September 11, 2024-October 11, 2024. This part simply reserves a spot for your team and allows us to schedule schools on appropriate days.

Part 2 opens October 30, 2024 and closes November 20, 2024. 

This form finalizes the details and provides the information necessary for planning the event and gathering materials.  a link to the Registration form is located on the website.

1. Float Fleet Derby 

2. Start Your ENGINEers 

3. Dash's Pit Crew Challenge 

4. Crash Test "Egg"stravaganza All teams will have the opportunity to participate in the Egg Drop  Challenge. 

Part 1: September 11, 2024 - October 11, 2024

Part 2: October 30, 2024 - November 20, 2024

Registration will close when the maximum number of teams is reached on October 11, 2024.  Late registrants may not be afforded an option to choose which competition their team(s) will compete in. 

We suggest starting at our resource links posted on each competition page for helpful hints and more information.  School E3 Coordinators should host work sessions for students to develop the necessary collaborative and problem-solving skills required for a successful E³ experience.  As the facilitator, your role is to empower the students to access and utilize the knowledge that is required for the team’s particular engineering competition. 

If registration is full, you may contact us here to put your name on a waiting list. 

Each engineering challenge will be judged by a panel of experts who will score teams based on a specific rubric that will be distributed to teams at the competition site.

Team captains are responsible for preparing their students for the science and engineering competitions. This includes hosting work sessions for students to develop the necessary collaborative and problem-solving skills required for a successful E³ experience.  The E3 Coordinator is a facilitator and should empower the students to access and utilize the knowledge that is required for the team’s particular engineering challenge.

Who can be a Coordinator?

Any certified educator at your school can serve as a Coordinator (i.e. classroom teacher, art, music, special ed., enrichment/gifted ed., principal, etc.)

*NOTE: The Coordinator does NOT have to teach 3rd, 4th, or 5th grade.

The planning and build time for each challenge will last approximately 90 minutes, with an additional 15 minutes for students to present/test their design.

The number of teams a school can register is based on the following formula:

0 -300 third, fourth and fifth graders ......... up to 3 teams

301 - over 500 third, fourth and fifth graders........up to 6 teams

NOTE

***Total student populations in 3rd-5th grade are only used to determine the number of teams allowed, but schools MAY choose how to field their teams.  

​A TEAM must have 3 members and may have no more than 5 members. Coding teams may only have 3 members.

No. Due to an increase in participants and limited space, this year's competition is limited to participants and team chaperones only.

Please follow your school’s dress code.  E³ is in March so plan accordingly. 

Shelby County Instructional Service Center  address is

601 1st St. South

Alabaster, AL 35007

*Please use Google Maps or GPS for specific turn-by-turn directions 

No. Due to time constraints and scheduling conflicts, we have asked that all students bring their own lunches. This will save time and allow students ample time to eat. 

Limited parking will be available. Please try to car pool when possible. 

Buses will drop off at a designated area in front of SCISC and will park in a nearby shopping center during the competition. 

No, however, Shelby Baptist Medical Center is 1 mile away. 

The team coach of the student(s) is responsible for attending to the medical needs the student(s). Any special medication, inhaler, monitor and the like should be coordinated by the school nurse and the team coach prior to attending E³. 

Through the  E³  Program, students in grades 3-4-5 are involved in hands-on science and engineering activities that promote critical thinking, teamwork, and interest in STEM occupations.

On the day of  E³ teams of students will apply their understanding of STEM concepts to solve and design construction challenges.  The challenges add an element of mystery by requiring teams to transfer and test their knowledge of STEM content in a new situation with time constraints and mystery materials.  Teams work diligently to compete and showcase their ingenuity without any assistance from teachers, parents, or spectators. After construction, students will test their projects and receive authentic feedback from practicing engineers from Honda, SPIRE,  and Alabama Power who have an invested interest in STEM education.