Students drive their go-karts during the Full-Scale Innovative Vehicle Design Challenge.

The rain didn’t stop hundreds of middle school and high school students from getting their cars on the tracks Wednesday during Square One’s 15 Annual Innovative Vehicle Design (IVD) Competition at the Kettering University GM Mobility Research Center.

Teams participated in three on-site challenges during the event:

  • Autonomous Innovative Vehicle Design Challenge
  • Mini Innovative Vehicle Design Challenge
  • Full-Scale Innovative Vehicle Challenge

Some also participated in the virtual V2X Innovative Vehicle Design Challenge, too.

The Autonomous Innovative Vehicle Design Challenge project tasks students to re-engineer a “Power Wheels Jeep” into an autonomous vehicle. The Mini Innovative Vehicle Design Racing Challenge requires teams to re-engineer an electric 1/10th scale RC vehicle for optimal performance, and the V2X challenge simulates the sensors and coding necessary for successful autonomous movement. The Full-Scale Innovative Vehicle Design Challenge inspires teams to transform a gas-powered go-kart kit or build a car from the ground up into an electric or hybrid electric vehicle featuring an innovative component that sets it apart from the rest.  

The winners in each competition were:

Autonomous IVD

  • Innovation Award: Roseville High School (first); Divine Child High School (second)
  • Engineering Award: Career Tech Northwest Education Services (Traverse City) Team A1901 (first); Career Tech Northwest Education Services (Traverse City) Team A1902 (second); Divine Child High School (third)
  • Perfect Pitch Award: Divine Child High School (first); Career Tech Northwest Education Services (Traverse City) Team A1901 (second)
  • Performance Award: Career Tech Northwest Education Services (Traverse City) Team A1901 (first); Divine Child High School (second); Hartland High School (third)
  • Ambassadorship Award: Hartland High School (first); Career Tech Northwest Education Services (Traverse City) Team A1902 (second)
  • Square One Award: Hartland High School
  • Craftsmanship Award: Northwest High School (first); Roseville High School (second)
  • Presentation Award: Hartland High School (first); Career Tech Northwest Education Services (Traverse City) Team A1901 (second)

Full-Scale IVD

  • Innovation Award: AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School (first); Stevenson MADE (second)
  • Engineering Award: Fraser High School (first); Oxford High School (second)
  • Perfect Pitch Award: Stevenson MADE (first); Fraser High School (second)
  • Performance Award: Southfield High School (first); Williamston High School (second); Oxford High School (third)
  • Ambassadorship Award: Stevenson MADE (first); Montcalm Area Career Center (second)
  • Square One Award: Oxford High School
  • Craftsmanship Award: Fraser High School (first); Williamston High School (second)
  • Presentation Award: AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School (first); Williamston High School (second)

Mini IVD

  • Innovation Award: Reese High School (first); Clinton High School Team M1205 (second)
  • Engineering Award: Clinton High School Team M1204 (first); Jackson Area Career Center (second)
  • Perfect Pitch Award: Clinton High School (first); Huron Area Technical Center (second)
  • Ambassadorship Award: Reese High School (first); Reese Middle School (second)
  • Square One Award: Jackson High School
  • Performance: Reese High School (first); Clinton High School Team M1205 (second); Clinton High School Team M1204 (third)
  • Craftsmanship Award: Huron Area Tech Center (first); Fraser High School (second)
  • Presentation Award: Clinton High School Team M1204 (first); Clinton High School Team M1205 (second)
  • Top Speed Challenge: Reese Middle School and Reese High School (tie)

V2X IVD (Virtual)

  • Innovation Award: Davis Middle School (first); AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School (second)
  • Engineering Award: AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School (first); Cedar Springs High School (second)
  • Perfect Pitch Award: Reese Middle School (first); AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School (second)
  • Performance Award: Davis Middle School (first); AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School (second); Cedar Springs High School (third)
  • Ambassadorship Award: Reese Elementary School (first); MLK High School Team V2216 (second); MLK High School Team V2213 (third)
  • Square One Award: Glenn Levy Middle School (Southfield)
  • Presentation Award: Davis Middle School (first); Reese Middle School (second)

Scholarship Winners

  • Kettering University Mobility and Vehicle Competition Scholarship: Benjamin Klein of Reese High School and Garrison Dyer of Unionville-Sebewaing Area High School
  • Umlaut Scholarship: Dameon Cann of Career Tech Northwest Education Services (Traverse City) 
  • ITS Michigan Masters of Mobility Scholarship: Ben Klein of Reese High School, David Azer of AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School and John Derian of AGBU Alex & Marie Manoogian School 
  • Mike Bammer Memorial Scholarship: Nickolas Pennock of Montcalm Area Career Center
  • Zach MacLean Memorial Scholarship: Samuel Hoffman of Huron Area Technical Center
  • WSP: Lily Kieliszewski of Huron Area Technical Center

Square One is a Michigan-based educational organization focused on developing talent for the future workforce. Through partnerships with higher education institutions and the industry, Square One empowers teachers and students with hands-on learning experiences around high-quality STEM projects.

This was the third time the competition took place at Kettering University. To check out a photo gallery of the day, click here.