NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Hosts Annual Invention Challenge for Student Engineers
In a display of resourcefulness and ingenuity, teams of middle and high school students from across Southern California gathered at NASA's JPL to compete in the 26th annual Invention Challenge. The event, which has been held since 1998, pits teams against each other as they design and build handmade devices to accomplish a specific task.
This year's challenge, dubbed the "Bucket Brigade Contest," required teams to transport 2 gallons of water from a holding reservoir into a bucket approximately 16 feet away in just 60 seconds. The twist? Teams had to adhere to a lengthy list of rules that tested their creativity and problem-solving skills.
Eighteen teams representing middle and high schools from Los Angeles and Orange counties took part, with Arcadia High School's Team Still Water emerging as the overall winner, completing the task in a mere 6.45 seconds. Mission Viejo High's Team Senior Citizens came close behind, finishing in 6.71 seconds.
However, the competition wasn't limited to local teams alone. Five schools from Colorado and Massachusetts, as well as one team comprising professional engineers, were invited to join the fray. The team led by retired JPL engineer Alan DeVault took top honors, repeating their performance from last year.
Other notable winners included Team 6 from Pioneer Charter School of Science in Boston, who secured second place, and Temple City High's Winning Engineering Team (WET), which earned recognition as the most creative team.
The event was made possible by a team of dozens of volunteers from JPL staff, including Fire Chief Dave Dollarhide, who brought his expertise on bucket brigades to the judging table. The Invention Challenge serves as an inspiring platform for student engineers to showcase their talents and gain valuable experience working together towards a common goal.
For more information, contact Melissa Pamer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
In a display of resourcefulness and ingenuity, teams of middle and high school students from across Southern California gathered at NASA's JPL to compete in the 26th annual Invention Challenge. The event, which has been held since 1998, pits teams against each other as they design and build handmade devices to accomplish a specific task.
This year's challenge, dubbed the "Bucket Brigade Contest," required teams to transport 2 gallons of water from a holding reservoir into a bucket approximately 16 feet away in just 60 seconds. The twist? Teams had to adhere to a lengthy list of rules that tested their creativity and problem-solving skills.
Eighteen teams representing middle and high schools from Los Angeles and Orange counties took part, with Arcadia High School's Team Still Water emerging as the overall winner, completing the task in a mere 6.45 seconds. Mission Viejo High's Team Senior Citizens came close behind, finishing in 6.71 seconds.
However, the competition wasn't limited to local teams alone. Five schools from Colorado and Massachusetts, as well as one team comprising professional engineers, were invited to join the fray. The team led by retired JPL engineer Alan DeVault took top honors, repeating their performance from last year.
Other notable winners included Team 6 from Pioneer Charter School of Science in Boston, who secured second place, and Temple City High's Winning Engineering Team (WET), which earned recognition as the most creative team.
The event was made possible by a team of dozens of volunteers from JPL staff, including Fire Chief Dave Dollarhide, who brought his expertise on bucket brigades to the judging table. The Invention Challenge serves as an inspiring platform for student engineers to showcase their talents and gain valuable experience working together towards a common goal.
For more information, contact Melissa Pamer at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
"Kids just 60 secs to move 2 gallons of water? That's like me trying to solve my entire semester's homework in an hour lol"
I'm so jealous that I missed this event! Like, I know it was last week or something, but still... I've been following the challenge on social media and those student engineers are absolute geniuses 
And wow, 6.45 seconds is crazy fast! Did they have any safety measures in place, though? Like, what if someone tripped or something? 
The fact that they had to think outside the box and come up with their own solutions was so impressive. It's amazing how much you can learn from kids when they're allowed to be creative and take risks.
And the fact that they get to work with seasoned engineers like Alan DeVault is just the icing on the cake.
! The Invention Challenge is such a great way for young engineers to learn by doing and have fun while competing against each other. It's amazing to see teams from different parts of the country coming together to solve problems and showcase their creativity 
. And I love that it's not just about winning – it's also about learning, teamwork, and perseverance 
. The bucket brigade contest sounds like a hilarious challenge 
. I'm glad that Alan DeVault's team from last year repeated their success this year 
. It just goes to show that with dedication and passion, anyone can achieve great things 
!
just read about NASA's annual Invention Challenge 4 teens & students 
18 teams competed but Team Still Water won w/ a time of 6.45 secs 
Alan DeVault's team from Colorado also rocked it! 
WET & Team 6 from Boston were close 2nd & 3rd respectively 
hope more schools participate next yr 
It sounds like the real challenge is trying to follow all those rules without losing your mind 
. On the bright side, at least these kids are thinking outside the box (or bucket) and getting some experience under their belts! 
I'm loving how these students think outside the box when it comes to problem-solving! 60 seconds is super tight, but they managed to create some crazy clever solutions 
. Can't wait to see what these kids do with their newfound skills - maybe we'll see some of them working at NASA or other top tech firms in no time 
! Anyway, can't wait to see what these talented students come up with next... they're going places!
also i just saw a video of nasa's fire chief doing this thing where he pours water on himself from a bucket and it was so funny 
meanwhile, team Senior Citizens came close w/ 6.71 secs 
. And the creativity! Teams coming up with their own unique solutions to the challenge, like using pulleys and levers or even just plain old-fashioned teamwork 
its cool to see student engineers being recognized for their work, maybe one of them will go on to create something life changing like a new water conservation system or something 
. And wow, 6.45 seconds? That's crazy fast! I'm sure the team at Arcadia High School was totally stoked to win. The fact that it wasn't just about winning, but also about being creative and working together as a team, is what really matters here.
teams came up with so many creative solutions, from giant pulleys to hydraulic systems... team still water at arcadia high school took home the win but that team senior citizens squad was close second! 
. And I love how they included teams from other states too - it's all about collaboration and innovation, right? 
And, tbh, who wouldn't want to be a part of a team like Team Senior Citizens or Winning Engineering Team (WET)? 
. These students are getting hands-on experience and mentorship from actual professionals... it's a win-win for everyone involved!