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TOYchallenge Winners Named
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NORTHAMPTON, Mass. -- June 19, 2003 -- The three grand prize winners of TOYchallenge - Tza-ah-tzuah of Scottsdale, Ariz. for "Island Quest"; Brookside White of Stockton, Calif. for "Brainia Mania"; The Merritt Island Merrymakers of Merritt Island, Fla. for "Wet Your Pants!" - were named this weekend at the national finals at Smith College. The toy- and game-design competition was created by the Sally Ride Science Club(TM) and Smith College to encourage students' interest in engineering, inspiring them to pursue careers in engineering and science. The contest was sponsored by Hasbro, Inc.
The three top TOYchallenge designs were selected from 243 entries submitted by teams of children in grades 5 through 8, half of whose members were required to be girls. The toys and games were evaluated on originality, creativity, engineering elegance, feasibility, communication, and team participation. The panel of judges included: Sally Ride; Domenico Grasso, director of Smith's engineering program; Smith student engineers; and Hasbro toy designers.
The Grand Prizes(a) were awarded as follows: - Hasbro action figure personalized in their likenesses and behind-the-scenes tour of Hasbro, Inc. for each team member of Tza-ah-tzuah - comprised of seventh grade students: Max Ambrose, Nicole Damari, Ivy Epstein, and Lauren Motzkin; coached by Barbara Lewis - creators of "Island Quest," a three-dimensional spherical board game where players move along lines of longitude and latitude while drawing cards in competition to inhabit island.
- VIP tour of NASA's Kennedy Space Center for the team members and their families, including a private question/answer session with an astronaut for Brookside White - comprised of sixth grade students: Stephanie Bethune, Jordan Enos, Kristen
Gran, Ashley Imeson, and Connor Stewart; coached by Charles Klass - creators of "Brainia Mainia," a game that challenges your mind in science and math while testing your building skills. Answer questions correctly to gain building materials, answer wrong and lose materials. - Week at Space Camp (www.spacecamp.com) for each team member of The Merritt Island Merrymakers - comprised of 5th grade students: Jamie Dodich, Natalie Edinger, Megan Heron and Sarah Jones; coached by Troy Heron - creators of "Wet Your Pants!," reminiscent of Hasbro's SIMON game, but features a large mat of colored dots which correlate to a display board. Step on the corresponding dots as they light up and make noise, mess up and get sprayed by an attached water hose.
(a) travel not included
"It was inspiring to see how these girls and boys embraced the challenge to engineer an original toy," said Sally Ride, founder of the Sally Ride Science Club. "The lessons they've learned over the course of TOYchallenge - especially those regarding team work, the design process, the mechanics of developing a prototype, and most importantly the fact that science and engineering are just plain fun -are invaluable to their academic and professional futures."
"At Smith, we believe strongly that the field of engineering needs creative thinkers, effective communicators, team players, and strong students of math and science," said Domenico Grasso, director of Smith's Picker Engineering Program. "These kids evidence all of those qualities. They are well on their way."
"It was an honor for Hasbro to be a part of TOYchallenge, helping to inspire kids to further their interests in the fields of math and science," noted Alan Hassenfeld, Chairman of Hasbro, Inc. "Maybe one of the students will enjoy the experience so much that they will even decide to become a toy designer in the future and help us make the world smile."
TOYchallenge design category prizes were also awarded at the event:
Builders of Tomorrow "Frame-It-Up"
Builders of Tomorrow of Chillicothe, Ohio
Members: Cameron Clay, grade 6; Tiffany
Coffey, grade 7; Miranda Legg, grade 6; and
Andrew Van Matre, grade 5
Coach: Chris Dodds
Crafty Creations "World in a Box"
The Dream Team of Urbana, Ill.
Members: Emma Anselin, grade 7; Christine
Cheng, grade 7; Maddy Hamlin, grade 7; and
Annie Liang, grade 7
Coach: Jenny Yi
Fun for Furry Friends "Fool the Kitty"
B2 of Wilbraham, Mass.
Members: Ryan Balise, grade 7; Stephen
Balise, grade 7; Jennifer Farrell, grade 7;
Kevin McGrath, grade 7; Lisa Pandolfi,
grade 7; and Lauren Rusczek, grade 7
Coach: Mary O'Neill
Games for the Family "Island Quest"
(tie) Tza-ah-tzuah of Scottsdale, Ariz.
"Brania Mania"
Brookside White of Stockton, Calif.
Get Out and Play "Wet Your Pants!"
The Merritt Island Merrymakers of Merritt
Island Fla.
Incredible Creatures "Funky Munky"
GROW TEAM (Girls Researching Our World) of
Manhattan, Kan.
Members: Chelsea Ballou, grade 7; Samantha
Neal, grade 7; Katie Ozment, grade 7; Cassie
Robinett, grade 7; and Kelly Vanhollebeke,
grade 7
Coach: Nicki Kinzie
Toys that Teach "Blinky Blanket"
4-gte of Lansdale, Pa.
Members: Caroline Choi, grade 7; Catherine
Leece, grade 7; Danielle Leonhardt, grade 7;
and Stephanie Mallis, grade 7
Coach: Andy Leece
TOYchallenge (www.TOYchallenge.com), a concept based on the first-year engineering design course at Smith College, was developed by Domenico Grasso, director of the college's engineering program and Sally Ride, founder of Imaginary Lines, Inc. and the Sally Ride Science Club, as an outreach activity to engage middle school-age girls in science and engineering and to inspire them to pursue careers in those fields. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, women comprise only 9 percent of the engineering workforce. However, studies show that, in elementary school, equal numbers of girls and boys are interested in--and good at--math, science and technology. Unfortunately, beginning around the sixth grade, more girls than boys drift away from these subjects. While open to all U.S. students in grades five through eight, TOYchallenge focuses heavily on catching girls' attention in these subjects in order to keep them in the engineering "pipeline." Hasbro is this year's sponsor of TOYchallenge.
Smith College is consistently ranked among the nation's foremost liberal arts colleges. Enrolling 2,800 students from every state and 55 other countries, Smith is the largest undergraduate women's college in the country. Established in 1999, Smith's Picker Engineering Program (http://www.smith.edu/engin) -- the first and only engineering program at a U.S. women's college -- is focused on developing broadly educated, well-rounded engineers capable of assuming leadership roles in corporations, non-profit organizations and technology-related fields. The first class of engineering majors will graduate in 2004, earning bachelor's degrees in engineering science.
The Sally Ride Science Club is operated by Imaginary Lines, Inc., (www.ImaginaryLinesInc.com), a company founded by astronaut Sally Ride to support the large numbers of girls and young women who are, or might become, interested in science, math, and technology. The company organizes quality events, programs and activities for girls that empower them, engage them and encourage their interests. Programs include the Sally Ride Science Festivals; TOYchallenge, and the Sally Ride Science Club(TM)-- a national Club created to keep middle school girls engaged in science adventures by connecting them to people, information, and attitudes that will nurture their relationship with science at a critical time in their lives.
Hasbro, Inc. is a worldwide leader in children's and family leisure time entertainment products and services, including the design, manufacture and marketing of games and toys ranging from traditional to high-tech. Both internationally and in the U.S., its PLAYSKOOL, TONKA, MILTON BRADLEY, PARKER BROTHERS, TIGER, and WIZARDS OF THE COAST brands and products provide the highest quality and most recognizable play experiences in the world.
  
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