2008-2009
Multi-Task Trebuchet (MTT) Challenge
(Click here for more details)

Colorado MESA presents its national engineering design competition specifications for the 2008-2009 year. High school and middle school teams selected to participate at the national event will compete in the four components below:

Performance

Teams will research, design, build, test and compete with a trebuchet designed to meet projectile, counterweight, and size characteristics of the event. The
performance of the high school device will be judged in four tasks:

• Distance: farthest distance thrown of a single projectile
• Accuracy: nearest distance of projectile impacts to two ground level targets
• Strength: greatest mass of multiple projectiles delivered to a vertical target
• Design Efficiency: greatest ratio of device performance score to device mass.*The middle school devices will perform the first two tasks and earn points for design efficiency from that score.

Technical Paper

Teams will submit a 5-15 page technical paper that details the design, development, experimentation and understanding of their device.

Academic Display

Teams will present the findings of the above-described research in display format. The display might include items such as data (e.g., charts and graphs), photographs, drawings, other ideas, and necessary written explanations.

Oral Presentation

Teams will make an oral presentation based on investigation, experimentation, design, testing, and experiences related to their device. This presentation will be delivered to a panel of judges. After the presentation, teams will be asked questions by the judges.

Each team competing at the state and national level must consist of 4 (four) students (2 male, 2 female) who are active members of a MESA program. Teams are required to participate in all of the above-listed components at the Colorado MESA qualifying events, High School Fall Fling and Middle School MESA Days.

The first place middle and high school teams from the MESA Day and the Fall Fling 2008 events will travel to the national competition. These teams must compete in all tasks listed above. The MESA National event is scheduled for June 25-28, 2009, hosted by Colorado MESA.