Creative Kids Invited to Enter Sally Ride Science TOYchallenge Presented by Northrop Grumman - Sign Up Deadline Extended
Toys are a great way to learn about science, engineering and the design process. TOYchallenge, now in its fifth year, gives girls and boys in grades five through eight the chance to step out of their classrooms and experience engineering as a fun, creative, collaborative process, relevant to everyday life by creating their dream toy or game.
"We designed TOYchallenge to engage youth in a fun, cool and relevant experience that will change their perceptions of math, science and technology,” said Sally Ride, founder of Sally Ride Science. “It is a great tool for keeping middle school-age kids, especially girls, in the ‘technical pipeline,’ thus helping to create a diverse new generation of scientists and scientifically literate citizens."
TOYchallenge 2007 launched in September. Creative kids can easily join in the fun. The competition is open to fifth through eighth graders in the U.S., its territories, or possessions, and Canada during the Fall 2006/Spring 2007 school year. Team size can range from three to six members, half of which must be girls. To get started, teams must: find an adult coach (18 years of age, or older) and sign up by January 12 (fee is $45 per team); then choose from themed-toy categories including “Games for the Family,” “Get out and Play,” and “Toys That Teach” and start brainstorming.
Further TOYchallenge information is available at www.TOYchallenge.com. All submissions will be judged on originality, creativity, engineering, feasibility, design process description, team participation and clarity of communication.
Last year’s grand prizes included a Kennedy Space Center Weekend VIP Tour Package with air travel courtesy of Southwest Airlines and a trophy. The grand prize winning teams also took home a Ward’s™ Natural Science microscope. There will also be awards in each toy category and special awards for best adaptable for groups with special needs, design, educational, engineering, inspirational, originality, presentation and team spirit.
TOYchallenge (www.TOYchallenge.com) is designed to engage middle school-age students, especially girls, in science and engineering and to inspire them to pursue careers in those fields. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women comprise only 11 percent of the engineering workforce. However, studies show that, in elementary school, equal numbers of girls and boys are interested in--and good at--math, science and technology. Unfortunately, beginning around the sixth grade, more girls than boys drift away from these subjects. While open to all U.S. and Canadian students in grades five through eight, TOYchallenge focuses on catching girls’ attention in these subjects in order to keep them in the engineering “pipeline.” Northrop Grumman has renewed its support for and is the presenting sponsor of TOYchallenge this year. Southwest Airlines is the official airline of TOYchallenge for the third year in a row.
Sally Ride Science
Astronaut Sally Ride founded Sally Ride Science to support the large numbers of girls who are, or might become, interested in science, math and technology. The company creates innovative science experiences for girls that empower them, engage them, and encourage their interests. Current programs include Sally Ride Science Festivals, TOYchallenge?, Sally Ride Science Camps, and Sally Ride Science After-School Clubs.
Sally Ride Science also publishes quality materials that educate, entertain, engage and inspire upper elementary and middle school girls and boys in science, math and technology. Our books and activities bring role models to life and show kids that science is creative, collaborative, fascinating and fun. To learn more about Sally Ride Science, visit www.sallyridescience.com or call 800.561.5161
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