Invention Challenge Brings Student Engineers to NASA JPL - NASA

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Hosts Annual Invention Challenge, a Competition of Engineering Prowess Among Teenagers

In a testament to the power of innovation and teamwork, hundreds of high school students gathered at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California for the 26th annual Invention Challenge. The event brings together teams from across Los Angeles and Orange counties to compete with handmade devices designed to accomplish a specific task.

This year's challenge, dubbed the "Bucket Brigade Contest," required participants to craft devices capable of moving approximately two gallons of water over 16 feet in under 60 seconds while adhering to a multitude of rules. The twist? Teams were given just six minutes and forty-five seconds to achieve this feat, with the fastest time earning the highest score.

Among the contestants was Arcadia High School's Team Still Water, which took home the top prize after completing the task in an astonishing 6.45 seconds. Mission Viejo High's Team Senior Citizens came in a close second, finishing the challenge in 6.71 seconds. Santa Monica High's The Samo Seals took third place, with a respectable completion time of 9.18 seconds.

The competition also drew teams from outside the local area, including four schools from Colorado and Massachusetts, as well as a professional engineering team led by retired JPL engineer Alan DeVault. In a repeat performance from last year's challenge, Team "Trial and Error Engineering" claimed first place, with Pioneer Charter School of Science's Team 6 taking second place.

Judges praised teams for their creativity, innovation, and out-of-the-box thinking. Mission Viejo High's Team Clankers was recognized as the most artistic, while Team 6 from Pioneer Charter School of Science was deemed the most unusual. Temple City High's Team Winning Engineering Team (WET) took home the award for most creative.

The Invention Challenge relies heavily on a network of volunteer judges and support staff from NASA JPL. Fire Chief Dave Dollarhide, familiar with the bucket brigade concept, joined the judging panel to add an extra layer of expertise to the competition.

omg i'm so inspired by these teens they're literally changing the world one invention at a time! and i love how they have so much fun while doing it too my kid is always tinkering with stuff in his room and now i see him in a whole new light can't wait to support him in his own endeavors and watch him grow into an awesome engineer

I'm telling ya, this whole thing is all about the education system, man . I mean, what's the point of a competition that requires teams to be so precise and efficient? Is it just to prepare them for a future where automation takes over our jobs? It's like we're teaching kids to optimize their water-pushing abilities instead of encouraging creativity and problem-solving skills. And don't even get me started on the emphasis on rules – isn't that just enforcing conformity?

And what's with all these schools from out of state participating? Are they trying to give their students an unfair advantage or something? It's like we're creating a whole new class system, where those who can afford to travel and compete have a leg up on everyone else. And the judges praising teams for being "artistic" or "unusual"? That just sounds like a bunch of buzzwords to me – what about actual substance?

I mean, I'm all for innovation and progress, but can't we focus on teaching our kids how to think critically and make meaningful contributions to society instead? This whole competition thing just feels like a PR stunt to me.

Wow ! These teenagers are geniuses , I mean, how do they come up with stuff like that? The Bucket Brigade Contest is so cool , and it's awesome that NASA is supporting innovation and teamwork among young people . Interesting , I wonder what kind of creativity and problem-solving skills the teams had to use to win those awards ...

I'm so stoked about this ! NASA's Invention Challenge is literally the coolest thing ever! I mean, can you imagine being a teenager and getting to compete against your peers to create something that can move 2 gallons of water in under 60 seconds? It's like a real-life video game!

And the twist with the bucket brigade contest is genius . I love how they added an extra layer of challenge by giving teams only 6 minutes and 45 seconds to complete it. The fact that Team Still Water won with a time of just 6.45 seconds is insane .

I'm also loving the diversity of contestants this year, including schools from Colorado and Massachusetts. It's amazing to see how these young minds are thinking outside the box and coming up with creative solutions to complex problems . The judges did an awesome job recognizing their artistic and innovative efforts.

This event is a perfect example of how innovation and teamwork can lead to some amazing things . I'm definitely following NASA's JPL for more updates on future challenges!

I'm like totally amazed by these teens at the Invention Challenge ! They're inventing stuff left and right and competing in crazy contests like this. I remember when I was a kid, we used to do science fairs at school and it was always so much fun trying to come up with innovative projects on a tight budget. These kids are basically doing the same thing but with way more resources and a bigger stage .

And can you believe some of these teams have been practicing for weeks? Like, I remember my cousin's friend had to work on his project for like 3 months just to get it right . It's amazing to see how dedicated they are to winning this thing. The bucket brigade contest is actually kind of hilarious – it's like a mini Olympics for inventors .

I'm loving the diversity in teams too, with schools from all over California and even some out-of-state teams participating . And who knew retired engineers would be competing against high school kids? It just goes to show you're never too old (or young) to get creative . The award for most artistic went to Team Clankers at Mission Viejo High, but honestly, I think the whole competition was a work of art .

I'm so stoked about this annual Invention Challenge at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab! I mean, can you think of a more awesome way for teens to tap into their creativity and problem-solving skills? The bucket brigade contest was such a cool twist - who wouldn't love racing against the clock to move water? And the prizes were insane! Arcadia High School's Team Still Water totally killed it with that 6.45-second time .

What I love most about this competition is how it brings people together, even from different schools and states . It's a great reminder that innovation can come from anyone, regardless of their background or location. And the judges were spot on when they praised the teams for being artistic and thinking outside the box .

I'm also really impressed by all the volunteers who make this event happen - without them, it wouldn't be possible . NASA JPL's got some serious game when it comes to supporting young talent!

The thing is, these kids are total rockstars! I mean, they're 16-18 years old and they're already creating innovative devices that can move water in under a minute. That's insane. It's amazing to see how they worked together as teams to design and build something that can accomplish such a task. The fact that some of them even created new materials or mechanisms to achieve this is just incredible. I'm sure it was a lot of trial and error, but the end result is totally worth it.

I gotta say , I love how these kids are getting all hyped up about building stuff that can move water in like 6 seconds ... it's kinda funny when you think about it . Like, what's the real-world application of this? Are they gonna use this skill to win some prize or save the world ? But seriously though, I'm glad NASA is giving these teens a platform to get creative and show off their engineering chops ... maybe one of them will invent something that changes the game .

I'm so stoked to see all these teens getting creative & inventing their own stuff ! I mean, who wouldn't want to win a challenge like that? It's awesome that NASA is supporting this kind of thing - it shows they care about the next gen of engineers & innovators. And wow, some teams were really close together in terms of time... it must've been super nerve-wracking for them ! I love how they're recognizing different teams for their unique qualities too, like most artistic or most unusual... it's all about embracing individuality and having fun with innovation

The Invention Challenge is such a cool event, I think it's awesome that they're giving teens the chance to showcase their engineering skills and creativity They have to work together as teams, which is perfect for teaching them about collaboration and communication And the fact that they get to design and build their own devices from scratch is just mind-blowing I mean, who wouldn't want to be part of a competition where you get to invent something in just over 6 minutes? It's not just about winning either, it's also about learning and having fun with it The judges seem to appreciate the creativity and out-of-the-box thinking that the teams brought to the table I love that they're not limited to traditional engineering projects, but can explore any idea they want It's like they say, "the right tool for the job" - these teens are definitely using their skills in innovative ways

Idk, I think its pretty cool that these teens are coming up with all sorts of inventive solutions to move water in under a minute , but at the same time, I'm like, isn't it kinda ridiculous how fast can one human actually move? Like, what's the point of having 2 gallons of water if you're gonna get it done so quickly? . And btw, i mean, who needs six minutes and forty-five seconds to figure out how to do something that simple?

I mean, it's pretty cool that high school students are getting a chance to show off their engineering skills and creativity like this. It's awesome that NASA is supporting innovation and teamwork. Those kids must be super nervous when they're racing against the clock like that! ️ And I love how there were teams from different places, not just from California. It feels like it's bringing everyone together in a fun way.

I mean, can you believe these teens are already like geniuses in their own right?! They're so young and they've got this crazy skill for inventing things that blow my mind! I was at the Invention Challenge last year and it's insane how much talent there is out there. These teams had to think on their feet and come up with something that could move water like, 16 feet in like 60 seconds?! That's mental! And they did it all within a super tight time frame... I love seeing the creativity and innovation on display here

I'm loving this ! The fact that these teens are getting hands-on experience with engineering and innovation is super inspiring! I mean, who wouldn't want to build a device that can move water in under 60 seconds? It's like something out of a sci-fi movie . But seriously, it's awesome that they're learning problem-solving skills, teamwork, and creativity all at once.

I also love how diverse the teams were - California schools, Colorado schools, Massachusetts schools... and even a professional engineering team! It just goes to show that innovation knows no borders. And I have to give props to Team Still Water for winning top prize in record time ! They must be super proud of their achievement.

It's also great to see NASA JPL supporting this event with volunteer judges and support staff. It's a win-win for the teens who get to learn from the pros, and for NASA JPL which gets to see the next generation of engineers and innovators in action !

dude just watched this NASA thingy and i'm like woah, those teenagers are sooo clever! i mean they had to make these crazy contraptions in like 6 minutes and 45 seconds and still move two gallons of water 16 feet without breaking a sweat . team "trial and error engineering" is straight fire , but team still water took the top prize and i'm lowkey impressed how do they even come up with this stuff?

I mean, can you even imagine what goes through their minds when they're designing these crazy contraptions in like 6 minutes and 45 seconds?! It's all about the innovation and problem-solving skills, you know? The way teams worked together, sharing ideas and expertise... it's really inspiring to see. And to think that some of them are going on to become engineers or scientists who'll be pushing boundaries even further!

I'm loving this annual Invention Challenge at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab! It's amazing to see all these talented teenagers coming together to create innovative solutions and have fun while doing it . The bucket brigade contest was so cool, who knew you could move 2 gallons of water in under a minute? The creativity and teamwork on display were truly impressive, especially the teams that managed to get their devices working within the super tight time limit . Can't wait to see what these young inventors come up with next!

I'm so stoked to hear about this annual Invention Challenge ! It's amazing to see all these talented teens coming together to create innovative solutions and learning from each other in the process. The fact that they're able to think outside the box (or in this case, the bucket brigade container) is truly inspiring .

I love how NASA JPL is supporting young minds like this - it's a great way to encourage STEM education and inspire the next gen of engineers and inventors . And can we talk about the creativity that went into each team's design? It's incredible to see what people can come up with when given a challenge .

It's also awesome to see teams from different parts of the country coming together to compete - it shows that innovation knows no borders ! Keep spreading those ideas and making waves, young inventors !

I think its amazin what these teens came up with! I mean, creatin a device that can move water in under 1 minute is no joke. Its amazing how they worked together as teams, thinkin outside the box and comin up with crazy ideas. Some of them really pushed the limits of what's possible. And its not just about win or lose, its about learnin from each other and gettin better at problem solvin. I feel like I was one of those teens back in my day, tryin to figger out how to build that crazy contraption for school projects.