Statewide Design Challenge

Bring STEM to any school with a design challenge

Design challenges are activities or competitions that students participate in to solve real-world problems. Through the challenge, students engage in creative problem-solving, boosting skills like collaboration and grit.

For many schools, participating in the statewide design challenge was the perfect way to begin implementing high-quality STEM education best practices.

Annual statewide challenge

Each year, the Ohio STEM Learning Network hosts a design challenge where students collaborate to create a workable solution to key issues facing our world. Any school in Ohio can participate in the challenge. The design challenge is the perfect starting point to begin implementing high-quality STEM education best practices in a classroom.

Over the course of the challenge, we provide:

  • Online resources for teachers and students
  • Professional development events to support teachers
  • Participation certificates for every student
  • Regional and state level awards each spring
  • In-person showcase for the state’s top 21 teams
I just wanted to say thank you and let you know how wonderful this challenge has been...I presented this challenge as an opportunity for my students to work towards the future- to envision and innovate for their future and the future of those living in space. They have and it is truly a joy to watch.
Holly Stone
Teacher
This year’s challenge:

#OhioSustainsSpace Design Challenge

This year’s statewide design challenge continues a partnership with an exciting space program called Starlab. Students will explore what it means to live and work in space.

The 2024-2025 challenge is:

How do we improve the sustainability of life in low-Earth orbit, such as living aboard the Starlab space station? 

Develop a plan, system, or product to positively impact the sustainable use of materials, habitable space, and/or energy. Demonstrate how these improvements could translate to more sustainable living on Earth.

Potential focus areas for students include:

  • Develop new ways to reuse or recycle materials.
  • Improve the generation of oxygen so that it is more reliable or efficient.
  • Improve how water from all sources is filtered, distributed and recycled.
  • Improve how electricity is generated, distributed, used and conserved so that it is more efficient.
  • Combine multiple space station functions to reduce the amount of physical space required for a system.
  • Develop new ways to create, store and use food so that there is less waste.
  • Reduce the by-products of growing plants (compost, water, growth media, non-fruit plant parts).
Register for the challenge and free guidebook
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Guidebook for the design challenge

The #OhioSustainsSpace guidebook includes:

  • step by step directions on how to model the design cycle within your classroom 
  • calendar of key dates including submission deadlines with links
  • links to background information, videos and resources from low-Earth orbit experts
  • links to grade level rubrics for students evaluate solutions throughout the process
  • information about how students can incorporate design challenge work into Science Day and Invention Convention competitions.

A link to the guidebook will be emailed to you when you register your school above.

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Engage students with experts

Through our partnership with Starlab, there are two opportunities for teachers and students to engage with Space industry experts.

  • Expert Link allows space experts to virtually meet with your class to answer questions and give feedback in real time.
  • SpaceBytes allows students, via their school leads, to enter questions into an online forum to experts.

Information about how to engage with these programs can be found in our free guidebook.

Ask an expert
For experts: Answer questions

Dr. James Kenyon, Director of NASA’s Glenn Research Center, addresses the kickoff for the #OhioSustainsSpace Design Challenge. 

Former astronaut and Director for NASA Space Sustainability, Alvin Drew, talks through the challenges of supporting long term missions in space.

State Showcase

The top 21 scoring teams from across the state will be invited to present their solutions at the OSLN Design Challenge State Showcase on March 4, 2025. The event is held at Battelle’s main headquarters in Columbus, Ohio each year.

At the event:

  • Students will present their solutions to scientists and engineers from Battelle, Starlab, the Ohio State University, the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce Development and a host of other experts.
  • The statewide winners of the #OhioSustainsSpace Design Challenge will be announced.
  • Students will have the opportunity to have lunch conversations with industry experts.
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Program details

Eligibility

  • Any school in the state of Ohio is eligible to participate
  • Student groups consist of two to four students (see note)
  • Open to all grades, K-12 

Note: Individual students are not eligible to participate. If a full class elementary class participates in the challenge as a group, please select two to four representatives of the class to present.

Schedule

  • Registration opens: Monday, Aug. 5, 2024
  • Official kickoff event: Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024
  • Virtual kickoff: Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2024
  • Design challenge registration closes: Thursday, Dec. 12, 2025
  • Entries for virtual hub and state competitions due: Monday, Jan. 13, 2025
  • State showcase: Tuesday, March 4, 2025

Q&A Sessions

 

 

 

 

Supports for schools

  • Online expert resources for teachers and students
  • Guidebook for use by teachers and students
  • Opportunities for students to interact with industry professionals
  • Professional development opportunities for teachers
  • Rubrics to evaluate student work
  • Participation certificates for every student
  • Regional and state-level awards each spring
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Optional:

Sticker design contest

Students are invited to create a sticker design based around this year’s design challenge theme. Students do not need to participate in the statewide design challenge to enter a sticker design to the competition.

One winner will be chosen at each of the following grade levels: K-5, 6-8, 9-12.

Winners will receive a plaque and professionally produced stickers to give to family and friends.

In addition, the winning designs will be produced and distributed to promote the 2024-2025 #OhioSustainsSpace design challenge throughout the state.

Review the rules and submit here.

Submit Sticker Designs by Dec. 4, 2024

About Starlab

Starlab will be the first privately-owned, commercially-operated space station in low-Earth orbit to replace the ISS following its retirement in the early 2030’s.

Led by a unique trans-Atlantic joint-venture between Voyager Space Holdings and Airbus GmbH (Germany), Starlab will be a fully-functional space station in one launch housing a permanent crew of four on missions up to a year or more in duration.

As a complement to the Starlab Space Station in orbit, The Ohio State University will be the host the George Washington Carver Science Park, a first-of-its-kind university research park of up to 80 acres located at the Ohio State University airport, dedicated to commercial spaceflight research and economic development.

It will house Starlab’s US Ground Location (SGL-US) that will include a full-size, hi-fidelity model of Starlab, allowing payload development, research, operations, communications, and training activities.

Starlab ExpertLink

The Starlab Partnership has been the catalyst for this year’s design challenge. The members of Starlab were integral in planning every aspect of this year’s design challenge and supplied all the expert knowledge contained within this booklet. We are grateful that the students of Ohio will benefit from the work of these real-world innovators.

Starlab ExpertLink is a multi-state network of experts in space-related industries who are willing to serve remotely on advisory panels to assist K-12 students in classrooms as they engage with this year’s design challenge related to Starlab and the George Washington Carver Science Park at The Ohio State University.

The ExpertLink panels will allow students to access professionals in careers that span industries engaged in low earth orbit research and development in fields that include aerospace engineering, agriculture, advanced materials, and biomedical sciences. Panels will meet via Zoom with a class. Based on project need, school request and panel availability, panels and students may meet over several months.

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