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Themed CompetitionsIn class, or join an event

Design Competitions

Real professional STEM skills for high school students — delivered through competitive, industry-simulation activities.

High school studentsState & nationalFree for students to enter

Teams at the competition — © Stellr Education

Start here

What’s a Design Competition?

Design Competitionnoundɪˈzaɪn kɒmpɪˈtɪʃn

A high-intensity industry-simulation event, in which students adopt professional roles, are given industry-specific challenges, and deliver real-world solutions.

Students step into the role of a professional engineering team. They’re handed a real-world brief — a Request for Proposal (RFP)— and have to research, design, and justify a working solution, then pitch it. It’s a genuine industry simulation, scaled for the classroom.

What students actually do

Get the brief

A themed RFP sets a real engineering challenge.

Form a team

Students work together like a professional firm.

Design & decide

Research, prototype, weigh trade-offs, run the numbers.

Build the deliverable

A written proposal or a presentation of the solution.

Pitch & be judged

Present to judges; strong teams progress to finals.

The outputEvery team produces a deliverable — a written proposal or a live presentation — assessed against an industry-style marking rubric.

STEM Power SkillsBeyond the engineering, students build the soft skills industry hires for — communication, teamwork, project management and presenting under pressure.

Previous student work

Real work from real competitions

A rotating look at the proposals, presentations and designs students have produced — the kind of deliverable every team builds and pitches.

Free to download

Previous Design Dossier

PDF · 100% high school student developed material

Preview Download

Student

“To my surprise I even ended up winning the award for the best overall teammate and competitor. I thought it was such an incredible experience… to improve my network and familiarity with the work environment!”

Hunter Dobson

2026 Nevada Participant

STEP 1

Choose how you take part

Both pathways run the same competitions — pick the one that fits your schedule, geography, and budget.

Pathway 1

Live Event

A competition run by Stellr

Who runs itStellr staff

WhereIn-person or virtual

How longFixed dates

Students deliverFull presentation

Best forA flagship, dated challenge

Browse upcoming events

Pathway 2

Curriculum Campaign

You run it in class, from our curriculum

Who runs itYou, the educator

WhereYour school or classroom

Delivered viaStellr curriculum & lesson plans

How longFlexible — you set the pace

Students deliverWritten proposal or presentation

Best forFitting STEM into your semester

Download curriculum

Where it leads

More info coming soon

Take part

Enter a Campaign or Event

Advance

Top teams progress to the finals

The final

Annual Championship event

STEP 2

Pick a theme

Each competition is built on one real-world theme for the 2027 school year. Open to all high school students.

Space

Engineering inspired by space exploration — students tackle the systems that keep a mission alive and on course.

What students explore

·Propulsion & trajectory
·Life support & oxygen supply
·Habitat & radiation shielding
·Power generation & storage
·Communication systems
·Mass, cost & risk budgets

Example brief: Design a lunar-surface habitat that keeps a four-person crew alive and productive for 90 days — managing power, oxygen, water recycling, radiation shielding and a fixed launch-mass budget.

Environmental

Real-world environmental problems solved through systems thinking, sustainable design and honest engineering trade-offs.

What students explore

·Renewable energy & efficiency
·Water, waste & materials
·Carbon & emissions modelling
·Cost vs. environmental impact
·Climate & site constraints
·Long-term upkeep & payback

Example brief: Design a net-zero energy system for a town of 5,000 — balancing generation, storage and demand against a capital budget, the local climate and a 10-year payback target.

STEP 3

See what’s included

Core material is, and always will be, free. Unlock your membership — by participating in a competition — to gather the tools and resources to succeed.

Educator

Free

Everyone starts here

RFP (abridged)

Campaign Guide — Teacher BASIC

Campaign Guide — Student BASIC

Optional submission & written judging feedback

Mission Handbook (abridged)

Join Free

Catalyst

$149

Full material & PD hours