top of page

2024-2025 Central Challenges

 

Your team might like to pick a Challenge because it falls within their Technical, Scientific, Fine Arts, Improvisational, Engineering or Service Learning wheelhouse -- they simply love that area of STEAM learning. Or, this might be a time to try their hand at something new. There are no prerequisites for any of these Challenges... teams will learn as they go!

24-25-Technical-Breaking-Point-1.jpg

 

Our Technical Challenge prompts students to complete tasks by using engineering, research, strategic planning, and related skills.

​

Build it up and knock it down! In this Challenge, your team will go from the highest heights to the lowest lows as you use team-created equipment to build and destroy stacks of items. What will a character do when their greatest wishes encounter a frustration point? Will it all come tumbling down? Find out in this season’s Technical Challenge!

 

  • Design and build assembly equipment and destruction equipment.

  • Use the assembly equipment to create a stack of items.

  • Use the destruction equipment to disassemble and/or destroy the stack.

  • Create and present a story about a character who lacks something important and attempts to gain it.

  • Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

 

Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)​​

​

24-25-Engineering-High-Wire-Act.jpg

 

Our Engineering Challenge asks students to explore and apply engineering skills and tools to design and build solutions to specific applications.

​

Come one, come all to the greatest show on Earth! Join us for a daring feat of high-wire innovation as you test a transporter that will carry weights along a tournament-provided cord. Present a story in the style of contemporary circus and don’t forget to include a daring display! This season’s Engineering Challenge isn’t clowning around!

 

  • Design and build a transporter that will be tested during the team’s Presentation.

  • Complete weight transport tests to test how much weight the transporter can carry along a tournament-provided cord at various angles.

  • Create and present a story in the style of contemporary circus.

  • Include a daring display and an ensemble spectacle in the Presentation.

  • Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.​

​

Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)​​

24-25-Scientific-Worlds-Beyond-1.jpg

 

Our Scientific Challenge blends the curiosity of scientific research with the creative expression of performance art.

​

A broken jar, a bit of stone—the remains of the past are all around us. Have you ever wondered what those things might have been used for or what they meant to the people who made them? What archaeological mysteries will be revealed in this year’s Scientific Challenge?

  • Create and present a story about a character whose discovery of an artifact leads to a finding.

  • Include an archaeological investigation that contributes to the finding.

  • Design and create a puppet that will portray a character from the past.

  • Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

​

Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)

​

​

24-25-Fine-Arts-Less-is-More-1.jpg

 

Our Fine Arts Challenge helps students develop acting and creative skills through artistic media, theatre arts, scriptwriting, and prop design.

​

How can the simplest of things convey the most? Your team will tell a story about something small that can have a big impact and move the audience with an emotional moment. Be strategic with your use of color and shape as you design a big visual impact with your set. It’s time to explore minimalism in this season’s Fine Arts Challenge!

  • Create and present a story about how something small and/or simple can create a big impact.

  • Include a focal character in the story.

  • Include an emotional moment in the story.

  • Design and create a minimalist set.

  • Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

​

Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)

​

24-25-Improv-Are-We-There-Yet-1.jpg

 

Our Improvisational Challenge is all about research, spontaneity, and storytelling. Teams receive topics and quickly produce skits.

​

From beginning to end, we must travel a path to get where we want to go! Use your improvisational skills to tell a story about a character traveling between two locations. Include a character who is trying to find something and a detour that causes an unforeseen change in the plan or route. It’s time to hit the road with this season’s Improvisational Challenge!

  • Create and present an improvisational skit about a traveling character.

  • Research locations and show the character’s route between a starting location and an ending location.

  • Research modes of transportation and incorporate one into the skit.

  • Include a seeker and a detour in the skit.

​

Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)

​

​

24-25-Service-Learning-This-Or-That.jpg

 

Our Service Learning Challenge is designed to engage students in public service that addresses real-life community issues.

​

Left or right, apple or orange, smile or frown…the world is full of choices! Your team will tell a story about a character who must make a critical choice after considering potential outcomes. A binary device will enhance your Presentation by completing two tasks at once! Where will your decisions lead in this season’s Service Learning Challenge?

  • Identify, design, carry out, and evaluate a project that addresses a need in a real community.

  • Create and present a story about a character who must make a critical choice.

  • Include at least two potential outcomes and a complication in the story.

  • Include a device that completes two different tasks from the same initiation in the Presentation.

  • Create and present two Team Choice Elements that show off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

​

Grades 2-5 (EL) Grades 6-8 (ML) Grades 9-12 (SL) and University/College (UL)

​

​

24-25-Early-Learning-Weather-Together-1.jpg

 

Our Rising Stars for Early Learners Challenge offers simple experiences with the creative process, and it gives young kids a place to work together and make new friends.

​

Rain, snow, wind, sun, and hail! There are so many different kinds of weather and lots of wonderful activities that can only be done during the perfect kind of weather. Your team will tell a story about a character who is learning about one kind of weather for the very first time. It’s a great day for some outdoor fun!

  • Research different kinds of weather.

  • Create and present a play about a character learning about a kind of weather for the very first time.

  • Include a teacher character and a special weather activity in the story.

  • Design and create a weather costume and a weather special effect.

  • Create and present one Team Choice Element that shows off the team’s interests, skills, areas of strength, and talents.

​

Kindergarten through Grade 2

 

bottom of page