Twelve students at Oak View Middle School students have learned that they will be competing in the national finals of the TOY Challenge, a competition sponsored by the Sally Ride Science Foundation, the Sigma Xi Scientific Research Society and Hasbro Toys. The contest is designed to encourage middle school students to learn more about science, engineering and the design process by developing toys and games.

Two six-member teams from the school submitted their plans to a committee, which then selected the best designs to compete at the finals in early May. Teacher and coach Michelle Klosterman says the students were thrilled to learn that they were among the those chosen to compete at the national level.

“When we told them, we heard the loudest screams you can imagine!” she said.

Klosterman and the students are now in the midst of turning their winning designs into reality. For several days leading up to the finals, the students will be spending hours after school constructing their games to present to the national judges.

One team is working on a board game called ‘Nekomon,’ which they hope will appeal to children who enjoy the kinds of video games and animated TV shows that are wildly popular these days. The other team is developing what they call the ‘Minotaur Maze.’ The maze would actually be a kit that families could design and set up outside, with players trying to get through the maze to reach a prize while slowing down their opponents with water pistols.

Not surprisingly, the process is not all fun and games. Each team has suffered some setbacks as they develop their prototypes, but Klosterman says that’s a valuable part of the experience.

“I hope they realize that this is how real scientists work,” she said. “They take it step by step, and if things don’t work out, they have to revise their plans. They may even have to start over again, but they have to keep working on it.”

The students say they enjoy the hands-on aspect of the TOY Challenge.

“Building something is a lot more fun than sitting around and memorizing facts,” said 8^th-grader Joshua Zuelke. “You actually learn a lot more.”

Of course, working together effectively is a must. The students say the process has taught them a lot about cooperation and teamwork.

“If one person has this opinion and another has that opinion, you have to know how to put it into one,” said 8^th-grader Brandy Harrison. “You have to find a way that everyone can get what they want out of it.”

“I used to think making a game was easy, but now I realize that it’s a lot harder than it seems,” said 6^th-grader Teresa Davis. “Teamwork can go a long way.”

The national TOY Challenge finals will be held in Raleigh, North Carolina on May 7^th. The school is currently seeking donations to help defray the costs of the trip. Anyone interested in helping out can contact coach Michelle Klosterman at (352) 472-1102 or through e-mail at klosteml@sbac.edu.

“This has been such a worthwhile project,” said Klosterman. “The students have been able to apply their knowledge of the scientific process to make something they can be proud of and enjoy.”