Engineering Challenge
Mark your calendars for the 2025
Corporate Engineering Challenge
In partnership with the Society of Women Engineers
Saturday, February 22, 2025
What is the Engineering Challenge | Challenge Day | Things to Know
This event is open to girls ages 9-12 and is designed to introduce young girls to engineering concepts through “hands-on” activities, interactions with female engineers, and collaboration on a challenge team. Thanks to the support of our corporate sponsors, this event is free to the participants. Lunch is included. Did you know? Although they make up more than half the population, in 2012, only 19.2% of Bachelor’s Degrees in Engineering were presented to women* *NSF, National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics, Completions Survey, 2002‐2012
How do we encourage more girls to pursue careers in engineering?
The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) is a not-for-profit educational and service organization that empowers females of all ages to succeed and advance in the field of engineering and be recognized for their life‐changing contributions as engineers and leaders. In order to improve these statistics, SWE offers an array of outreach activities to inspire girls to explore careers in engineering or other technical fields.
1) Hands-on stations sponsored by local companies. Each station will include a demonstration of products and/or services the company provides as well as an engineering, science, or math activity for attendees to complete. These stations will be open to any member of the public who has paid admission to visit the Air Zoo that day as well as the girls participating in the challenge.
2) A CHALLENGE activity in the afternoon, where teams of 6-8 girls (ages 9-12) complete a technical challenge and compete against opposing teams. Each team is associated with a sponsoring company and led by a representative from that company. Please see important notes below about policies and safety guidelines.
Challenge Schedule*:
- 8am-9am: Check-in (Teams and waitlist)
- Teams will be finalized by 9am and wait list girls placed as able.
- Meet your mentor, get your T-shirt and gather at your team station *Please send your girl in a shirt that can be worn underneath her team shirt. We will not have time for the girls to change.*
- 9:15am-9:25am: CEO Troy Thrash Welcome at the SR-71 Blackbird stage
- 9:30am - 11am: Corporate tables (all girls)
- This end time is dependent on the sub schedules that each group will have based on their scheduled panel discussion and lunch break. (tables available to Air Zoo guests at 9am.
- 11am - 12:30pm: Panel Discussions & Lunch (challenge teams only)
- Girls will be split between two panel discussions, alternating with lunch shifts above. *Waitlist girls will attend first panel discussion prior to being released for the day.
- 12:30pm - 2:30pm: Challenge build begins
- 2:30pm - 2:45pm: Challenge announced to the public at the SR-71 Blackbird stage
- 2:45pm - 3:45pm: Challenge competition
- 3:45pm - 4pm: Awards, surveys and dismissal
- Members of the winning team receive awesome prizes.
- 4pm: Sign Out
2024 Activities - 2025 TBD
- Learn How to Create a Circuit & Light up your Drawing! | Rockwell Automation
- Pallet Patterns | Perrigo
- Model Gas Field Puzzle | Consumers Energy
- Interact with Cutting Edge Code to Experience the Power of Automation! | Rovisys
- Lemon Batteries | CRB
- Food Manufacturing Demo | Kellanova
- FEMA Plinko! | FEMA Corporation
- Engineering in Medicine: The Brain, DNA, & Blood | Charles River
- Exploring the Important of Temperature Control | Performance Validation
- Chilling with Denso | Denso
- Collecting Cereal Dust | Post Consumer Brands
- Plants' Orbits and Gravity | Western Michigan University
- Electricity is a Snap! | Pfizer
- Driven to Make Healthcare Better! | Stryker
- Manufacturing Sugar Tablets | Zoetis
- Fun with Fluid Power | Parker
Here are a few important notes about the day*:
1) If you want to stay and watch or have other children participate in the corporate tables, you must purchase admission for anyone not registered for the SWE event.
Admission:
Air Zoo Members and children 4 and under are FREE
Adults $18
Children 5-18 $16
Seniors $15
Veteran, military, firefighter and police 50% OFF with valid ID
EBT & WIC card holders $2 per household member 5+
2) If you want to come and just watch the competition you will also need to purchase admission as listed above.
3) If you do not purchase admission you will have to pick up your child in the lobby area of the Air Zoo at 4pm, your girl will be escorted to the Lobby by their mentor.
4) You will have to come in to the Air Zoo and sign your girl in.
5) You will have to come in to the Air Zoo and sign your girl out.
6) Girls placed on corporate challenge teams will be fed lunch - cheese or pepperoni pizza. If your child has allergies, please pack them a lunch. There is no refrigeration available. *Wait list girls will be picked up after panel discussion and lunch will not be provided by SWE. Wait list girls and their families are welcome to purchase lunch at the Kitty Hawk Cafe.
7) It is suggested that you send your girl with a water bottle. They will get snacks and water, but it can get hot and dry on the exhibit floor.
8) Please send your girl in a shirt that can be worn underneath their team shirt.
* Schedule and details may change prior to 2025 registration launch.
Thank you Sponsors!
Come visit us.
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Great place! Very interesting educational and informational! Great place to take the whole family as there is something for young children up to adults!
blackeyedsusan2018
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We took our grown daughters and young grandsons to the Air Zoo. It was very entertaining for all of us. There is so much to see and do. Rides for the whole family!
Rick C