Young Innovators Put NASA's Engineering Skills to the Test in SoCal Competition
The annual Invention Challenge at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California has become a hotbed of engineering ingenuity, as this year's 26th edition saw middle and high school students from Los Angeles and Orange counties go head-to-head with their DIY contraptions.
At the center of it all was the "Bucket Brigade Contest," which tasked teams with moving an impressive 2 gallons of water from a reservoir to a bucket over 16 feet away in just 60 seconds. The twist? Each team had to adhere to a complex set of rules and regulations, making for a true test of creativity and problem-solving skills.
With 18 local teams competing against each other, the stakes were high, with Arcadia High School's Team Still Water emerging victorious after completing the task in an impressive 6.45 seconds. Coming in close second was Mission Viejo High's Team Senior Citizens, just shy of the mark at 6.71 seconds.
However, it wasn't just local teams that made the cut; five international entrants also joined the fray, with Team "Trial and Error Engineering" from Colorado taking top honors once again, while Pioneer Charter School of Science in Massachusetts' Team 6 secured second place. Unfortunately, no teams managed to secure third place.
Judges praised various teams for their artistic, unusual, or creative approaches, including Mission Viejo High's "Clankers," which won the most artistic award, and Boston area school Pioneer Charter School of Science's "Team 6" for its standout performance in the most unusual category.
The event was made possible by a team of dozens of volunteers from JPL staff, who were joined by special guest judge Dave Dollarhide, Fire Chief at JPL, who brought his expertise on bucket brigades to the table.
For NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, hosting the Invention Challenge is an opportunity not only to inspire the next generation of engineers but also to foster collaboration and innovation. As one NASA official noted, "It's a unique chance for us to engage with students and encourage them to think creatively about engineering challenges."
The annual Invention Challenge at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California has become a hotbed of engineering ingenuity, as this year's 26th edition saw middle and high school students from Los Angeles and Orange counties go head-to-head with their DIY contraptions.
At the center of it all was the "Bucket Brigade Contest," which tasked teams with moving an impressive 2 gallons of water from a reservoir to a bucket over 16 feet away in just 60 seconds. The twist? Each team had to adhere to a complex set of rules and regulations, making for a true test of creativity and problem-solving skills.
With 18 local teams competing against each other, the stakes were high, with Arcadia High School's Team Still Water emerging victorious after completing the task in an impressive 6.45 seconds. Coming in close second was Mission Viejo High's Team Senior Citizens, just shy of the mark at 6.71 seconds.
However, it wasn't just local teams that made the cut; five international entrants also joined the fray, with Team "Trial and Error Engineering" from Colorado taking top honors once again, while Pioneer Charter School of Science in Massachusetts' Team 6 secured second place. Unfortunately, no teams managed to secure third place.
Judges praised various teams for their artistic, unusual, or creative approaches, including Mission Viejo High's "Clankers," which won the most artistic award, and Boston area school Pioneer Charter School of Science's "Team 6" for its standout performance in the most unusual category.
The event was made possible by a team of dozens of volunteers from JPL staff, who were joined by special guest judge Dave Dollarhide, Fire Chief at JPL, who brought his expertise on bucket brigades to the table.
For NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, hosting the Invention Challenge is an opportunity not only to inspire the next generation of engineers but also to foster collaboration and innovation. As one NASA official noted, "It's a unique chance for us to engage with students and encourage them to think creatively about engineering challenges."
but what really caught my eye was that no one could beat the americans 
they're just so good at everything! sorry team trial and error engineering in colorado u got robbed lol
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. I mean, 2 gallons of water in 60 seconds? that's crazy talk! 
it just goes to show you, with the right mindset and skills, anything is achievable.
), they're also showing them how to work together as a team and think outside the box. that's the kind of thing that'll really make a difference in this world.
. it just goes to show you, no matter where you're from or what background you come from, we can all learn from each other and achieve great things together 
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! And who knows, maybe one of these students will come up with a solution that helps NASA tackle its next big challenge.
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. like, cant they just let the kids win or something? its kinda sad that team senior citizens came 2nd with almost 6 seconds slower than the winner lol what was wrong with them? 
on the other hand i feel bad for teams that came in last cuz they gotta deal w/ all those rules and regulations 
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and those award winners are so cool! "Clankers" winning the most artistic award has me intrigued 
! And what's up with the rules, btw? Like, who thought it was a good idea to add all those extra steps and requirements 
! And kudos to NASA for hosting something that encourages creativity and collaboration - it's exactly what we need more of 
where's the proof of these students actually doing it? why no video footage or pics of the contest? and what's with all the "artistic" and "creative approaches"? how did they measure that exactly? seemed more like a bunch of engineers trying to show off their skills than actual innovation 
. But what's even better is that NASA is using this as an opportunity to inspire the next gen of engineers – it's a win-win for everyone involved! 
I mean i dont know if its cool that NASA is hosting this thingy but its def a win for the kids who get to have some fun with engineering stuff. Team Still Water from Arcadia High won it all, congrats 
, but seriously how do you even optimize for moving water in like 60 seconds? 
. I love that NASA is supporting the next gen engineers and encouraging them to think outside the box (or bucket, haha 
). The whole event seems super organized and fun, with a great team of volunteers from JPL and special guest judges. And, gotta give it up for Arcadia High School's Team Still Water - those 6.45 seconds are impressive! 
The bucket brigade contest is a genius idea, and it's awesome that JPL is supporting these students and encouraging them to think outside the box. We should be celebrating our young scientists and engineers who are shaping the future of space exploration and innovation! #NASA #InventionChallenge #YoungGeniuses #EngineeringInspiration
He put so much thought into the design and problem-solving, it was amazing! 
It's great to see teams like Arcadia High School's Team Still Water putting in all that effort to create something innovative 
, i mean, come on, who comes up with this stuff? 
. they should be challenging students with real engineering problems that'll make a difference in the world 
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And what's up with Boston area school Pioneer Charter School of Science's "Team 6" winning most unusual category? Sounds like they really brought their A-game 