The Real World Design Challenge is a free annual high school competition run by a public-private partnership with the goal of sustainably increasing the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. Teams of 3-7 secondary school students design a plane (this year an Unmanned Aerial System) to accomplish a specific task. Each team is supported by professional mentors. The Real World Design Challenge partners bring a broad base of resources and expertise from business, government, and academia. RWDC students have received recognition for their work from leaders in government, industry and education.
The Challenge is free to teachers and students. Each teacher gets $1 million in professional engineering software and teams get access to professional mentors. Thirty-nine governors have supported the “Governor’s Challenge” at the state level. There is no cost to the tax payers of the state. The national competition is held each year in Washington, D.C., and each student on the winning team will receive a $50,000 scholarship from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
The Challenge is “Real World” in the following ways:
The Challenge is free to teachers and students. Each teacher gets $1 million in professional engineering software and teams get access to professional mentors. Thirty-nine governors have supported the “Governor’s Challenge” at the state level. There is no cost to the tax payers of the state. The national competition is held each year in Washington, D.C., and each student on the winning team will receive a $50,000 scholarship from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
The Challenge is “Real World” in the following ways:
- Real Problem: An Industry defined problem provides a practical application of classroom curricula;
- Real tools & Resources: Inspire students by showing them what is at their fingertips;
- Real Roles for Students: Require teamwork, leaderships, Innovation & problem solving skills;
- Real Contribution: Students can make a difference, solving industry-based problems.