Sponsored by APEGGA as part of National Engineering Week, the Provincial School Challenge gives students across Alberta the opportunity to compete against one another to build structures using limited materials.

The challenges encourage students to think creatively in teams and apply the concepts of physics with structural and materials engineering to design simple structures.

Students in grades one to six will use their science smarts to solve one challenge, while students in grades seven to 12 will compete in a more difficult test of their skills.

APEGGA has donated prize money to be used towards the purchase of school materials and/or field trips for the first, second and third place winners in the province in grades 1-3, grades 4-6, grades 7-9 and grades 10-12. In addition, one school from each of APEGGA's nine branches will be selected to receive a special prize for best results.

The competition takes place during National Engineering Week, March 3-11, 2001. Results must be submitted to APEGGA no later then 5:00 p.m. on March 16, 2001. Winners will be announced by March 31, 2001 and will be notified by phone. Overall results for all competing teams will be posted on the Web site shortly thereafter.

Competition packages will be mailed to Alberta schools in January 2001. If your school does not receive a package, and would like to participate, please call the APEGGA Public Relations Department in Edmonton at (780) 426-3990 or toll free at 1-800-661-7020.

The 2001 Provincial School Challenges will be posted on the APEGGA Web site soon!