SECME Student Competitions

SECME Student Competitions

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SECME engineering design competitions are provided to challenge SECME students and student team participants to be groomed as future STEM professionals.

Competitions are open to the public, private, magnet, and home schools and the Informal STEAM Learning (ISL) teams. An example is the local Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Download the guideline for the 2023 competition here.

SECME coordinators must register students participating in their SECME programs via the Update Your Information page before January 30, 2023.

categories student teams compete in

Mousetrap Car

All Competition Divisions; Elementary, Middle, and High school

  • Students design and build cars powered by a standard mousetrap. The objective is to build a small, light car that can go as far as possible. This event encourages the participants to use the scientific method, critical thinking, and some algebra skills. Students make technical drawings of their design and complete a technical report along with the car itself. An interview held by SECME volunteers also contributes to the final score. So, students will need to build up their writing and presentation skills if they want to win this event!
  • Mousetrap Car FAQ
  • How to Build Video

Water Bottle Rocket

All Competition Divisions; Elementary, Middle, and High school

  • Students build rockets out of 2-liter soda bottles. Pressurized air is used to launch them. Participants submit a rocket, a technical report, a technical drawing, and a “patch.”
  • Water Bottle Rocket FAQ

VEX V5/VEX IQ Robotics

VEX IQ – Elementary Division Only
VEX V5 – Middle/High School Only

  • The VEX Robotics Design System offers students an exciting platform for learning about areas rich with career opportunities spanning science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). These are just a few of the many fields students can explore by creating with VEX Robotics technology.

Essay/Vision Board

All Competition Divisions; Elementary, Middle, and High school

  • It is a written and illustrative representation of your goals in STEM

These events happen at regional and national levels. For teams to be eligible to compete at the national level, they need to compete at the regional level first.

If you have any questions, please contact the SECME Interim Director, Dr. Julaunica Tinger, at secme@eng.ufl.edu.