How It Works
Learn how to launch a successful Fluid Power Action Challenge event in your school or community.
Getting Started with the Action Challenge
The goal of the Fluid Power Action Challenge is to not only introduce students to the concepts of engineering and learning by experimentation but also to show them the value of teamwork and project management. Traditionally, two event types tend to emerge, In School and Community-Wide competitions. However, events of other configurations are welcome and encouraged. Below are the descriptions and resources necessary to host either of these events.
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Planning an event for the first time?
Learn more about the timeline and what is involved.
Community Wide Competition
This event type is designed for those who would like to host teams of students from multiple schools to compete against each other. A unique set of documents are required for this event type.
In School Competition
This event type is designed for those who would like teams of students within their own school to compete against each other. A unique set of documents are required for this event type.
How To Order Kits, Competition Boards, and Related Materials
Fluid Power Action Challenge kits, competition boards, and related materials can be purchased through the Mechanical Kits website linked here. The vendor, Work Services Corporation (WSC), can be reached via its customer service email: support@mechanical-kits.com.
Community Wide Competition
In a Community-Wide Fluid Power Action Challenge, an organization, educational institution, or industry sponsor hosts a competition with teams of students from multiple schools.
To run the competition, representatives of your choice will be needed to help with the logistical details, recruit schools and organizations to participate, order competition kit materials, and, as needed, promote the event to appropriate stakeholders, order t-shirts and trophies, and/or food for the Workshop and Challenge days. You will also need a representative(s) to facilitate the event's technical aspects, including introducing the students to fluid power concepts and guiding them through tools, and building foundational kit builds on Workshop Day. They would also be responsible for presenting the Challenge problem and layout to the students that the teams will have to solve when they rebuild their device on Challenge Day.
Judges for the events are usually engineers or educators capable of judging portfolios, calculating team scores, and interviewing teams; they tend to have some foundational knowledge of fluid power.
Use the dropdowns to the right to download any documents you may need for your event.
In School Competition
The In-School Fluid Power Action Challenge Competition is event educators hold in their classrooms or schools. Students usually build their devices throughout several class periods. Many schools offer In-School competitions as a part of their Engineering, Introduction to Manufacturing, Robotics, and CTE courses. In-School competition mechanical kits were developed to meet Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), ITEEA - Technology Literacy Standards, and Common Core State Standards for Mathematics.
Use the dropdowns to the left to download any documents you may need for your event.
Marketing and Promoting Your Event
Event planners should feel free to use and modify these documents to fit the needs of their competition. These templates include registration forms, photo/video consent forms, releases, promotional flyers, press releases, and more.
