Inspire. Imagine. Innovate.

Build an innovative mechanical or structural device to solve an engineering problem.  Teams design, build, and test creative solutions that push the boundaries of what's possible.

THIS SEASON:  Adventures are great when everything goes according to plan.  But what happens when something – or someone – ends up in the wrong place?  In this season’s Technical Challenge, your team will create a sorting system that can get things where they’re supposed to be!  You’ll also present a story about a character who arrives in the wrong place.  How will you sort the situation out?

• Design and build a sorting system that can move team-provided items into groups.
• Create and present a story about at least one character who arrives in the wrong place.
• Include an influential character.
• Design and create an arrival effect.
• Integrate the items, the sorting system, and the sorting process into the Presentation.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Apply science concepts to investigate a real-world problem and present findings creatively.  Teams blend scientific inquiry with theatrical presentation.

THIS SEASON:  Science is filled with competitive rivals who push each other to greatness.  The stakes are high in this season’s Scientific Challenge as 2 rivals are racing toward the same goal.  Be sure to move the story along with a live-action montage.  Who are these rivals? What motivates them?  And how will they use applied science to reach their goal?

• Create and present a story about 2 rivals who are each attempting to achieve the same goal.
• Research different types of applied science and integrate your research into the Presentation.
• Design and create 2 different demonstrations of applied science.
• Create and present a live-action montage.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Design, build, and test a structure or system that meets specific performance requirements.  Precision, creativity, and structural integrity are key.

THIS SEASON:  Every great mystery starts with something puzzling, bizarre, or seemingly impossible.  In this season’s Engineering Challenge, your team will create a weight measurement system that can determine the weight of an object as accurately as possible and incorporate it into a story about a detailed investigation.  What clues will your team uncover as the investigation unfolds, and what mysteries are waiting to be solved?

• Create and present a story about a detailed investigation of an unusual occurrence.
• Include a freeze that shows at least one character continuing to interact with elements of a scene while the rest of the action has stopped.
• Design and build a freestanding weight measurement system that will be used to determine the weight of randomly selected mystery weights.
• Integrate the weight measurement system, the mystery weights, and the weight measurement system testing into the Presentation.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Create an original theatrical performance that incorporates a specific art form or style.  Teams explore visual arts, music, literature, and more through performance.

THIS SEASON:  Move over, Aesop! In this season’s Fine Arts Challenge, your team will create your own fable featuring non-human characters and an important lesson.  You’ll use natural materials to create at least one element of your Presentation.  Leave your audience in awe as you design interactive scenery and an animated prop that brings your fable to life! What lessons will your team teach?

• Present a team-created fable.
• Include an exaggerated character.
• Use natural materials to create and/or enhance at least one physical element of your Presentation.
• Design and create interactive scenery and an animated prop.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

Quick-thinking spontaneous challenges that test creative problem-solving on the spot. No preparation, no props — just teamwork and imagination under pressure.

THIS SEASON:  Two of a kind, partners in crime–great things come in twos all the time!  In this season’s Improvisational Challenge, your team will step into the shoes of a Famous Duo and show what happens when they find themselves in a ridiculous situation.  With only a tool and background music to guide you, you’ll improvise your way through a two-act story full of surprises, teamwork, and quick thinking.

• Create an improvisational skit in 2 acts that tells a story about a famous duo.
• Act 1 must show how the members of the famous duo get into a randomly selected ridiculous situation.
• Act 2 must show how the members of the famous duo use a randomly selected tool to attempt to resolve the ridiculous situation.
• Incorporate background music into each act.

Identify a community need and develop a sustainable solution that makes a real difference. Teams combine project management, research, and community engagement.

THIS SEASON:  Video games are full of quests, obstacles, and creative solutions—and now, your team gets to bring that world to life!  In this season’s Service Learning Challenge, you’ll design and carry out a project that addresses a real community need and share what you accomplished through a story set in a video game world.  Collect your resources, avoid enemies, and strive toward your goals, all while making your world a better place!

• Identify, design, carry out, and evaluate a project that addresses a need in a real community.
• Create and present a live theatrical Presentation that tells a story about at least one character who is attempting to achieve an objective within a video game world.
• Include a game resource and a desperate situation in the Presentation.
• Integrate information about the Project into the Presentation.
• Design and build a game resource tracker.
• Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.