The Engineering Challenge 2006 provided an opportunity for over 2400 youths in Grades 4, 5 and 6 to discover the engineering profession by involving them in a month long problem solving activity. The challenge saw 50 volunteer engineers team-up with students to design and construct a Disaster Relief OPeration (DROP) prototype "egg drop" made entirely from craft supplies and recycled materials. A total of 40 schools in the National Capital Region participated in this year's challenge.

Engineers worked directly with students in the classroom throughout the month of February to help design and construct DROP prototypes in preparation for the final event hosted by the Canada Science and Technology Museum on February 28^th. A total of 54 teams, composed of 260 students participated.

Let's Get Cracking!

Student teams tested their prototypes in the preliminary rounds to ensure the cargo, a raw egg, would arrive intact and advance to the finals. They also showcased the ingenuity of their designs to a panel of volunteer engineers.

Although it was unanimous that all the prototypes were egg-ceptional , the top spots went to Meadowlands Public School who finished first, École élémentaire La Vérendrye in second, and St. John the Apostle in third place.

The Engineering Challenge is organized by NRC in celebration of National Engineering Week (NEW), in partnership with the Canada Science and Technology Museum, Professional Engineers of Ontario (PEO), the Ottawa-Carleton Catholic School Board, Stu dent Engineering Societies of Carleton University and the University of Ottawa and the Ontario Public Works Association.

Congratulations to all the participants in Engineering Challenge 2006!

Engineering Challenge 2006 Participating Schools

• Agincourt Road Public School
• Bishop Macdonell
• Broadview Public School
• Corpus Christi School
• D. Roy Kennedy Public School
• Dr. F. J. McDonald Catholic School
• École élémentaire catholique des Pins
• École élémentaire catholique des Voyageurs
• École élémentaire catholique de Casselman
• École élémentaire La Vérendrye
• École élémentaire publique Jeanne-Sauvé
• École élémentaire publique Le Trillium
• Educarium
• Elmdale Public School
• Emily Carr Middle School
• First Avenue Public School
• Heritage Public School
• Hopewell Avenue Public School
• Huntley Centennial Public School
• Jack Donohue Public School
• John Young Elementary School
• Knoxdale Public School
• Leslie Park Public School
• Manor Park Public School
• Maple Ridge Elementary School
• Meadowlands Public School
• Our Lady of Peace School
• Queen Elizabeth Public School
• R. Byrns Curry Public School
• Rockcliffe Park Public School
• Roland Michener Public School
• Russell High School
• St. Catherine School 
• St-George Catholic School
• St. John the Apostle School
• St. Michael School
• St. Patrick School
• St. Rita School
• St. Thomas More School
• Vincent Massey Public School

Thank you to our volunteer engineers from the following organizations:

• National Research Council Canada
• Abbott Point of Care
• Arnprior Aerospace 
• Carleton University Student Engineering Society
• Ciena Corporation
• City of Ottawa
• Conestoga-Rovers & Associates
• Curtis-Wright Controls
• Defence Construction Canada
• Defence Research and Development Canada
• Dessau-Soprin Inc.
• Fleetway Inc.
• Infrastructure Canada
• International Council for Canadian Studies
• J.L. Richards & Associates Limited
• Marbek Resource Consultants
• Ministry of Transportation Ontario
• Nortel Networks
• The Thompson Rosemount Group Inc.
• Tropic Networks
• Professional Engineers Ontario
• Ontario Public Works Association
• Ottawa University Engineering Students' Society
• Robert O. Pickard Environmental Centre
• Robinson Consultants
• Stantec
• University of Ottawa