North Dakota 4-H Engineering Design Challenge

The North Dakota 4-H Engineering Design Challenge provides an opportunity for teams of youth to use an engineering design process to create a Rube Goldberg^TM-inspired machine.  A Rube Goldberg^TM-inspired machine is an overly complex contraption that does a simple task. The contraption uses everyday items in a series of chain-reaction steps that accomplish a task. The 4-H Engineering Design Challenge allows youth to use physics, engineering, humor, and storytelling. Teams are encouraged to create a theme for their contraption and incorporate their theme in the contraption.

The goal of the program is to encourage problem solving, critical thinking, creativity, innovation, team work and communication in a non-traditional learning event and to have FUN in the process. Youth who have completed third through twelfth grades can compete in the challenge. 

Teams that build a contraption and complete the record keeping journal can compete or display their work at their county fair. Any team can participate in the state fair contest; teams do not have to win a county contest to enter the state fair challenge.