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Super Mileage Challenge: Combining Education and Fun! the Super Mileage Challenge Teaches Students to Research, Design, and Construct Futuristic Vehicles While Applying Advanced Topics in Math, Science, Technology, and Engineering

Introduction With the rising price of fuel and increased concerns for the environment, achieving maximum gas mileage continues to be a very important topic. Today, in an exciting student competition, Indiana students seek solutions by applying technology, innovation, design, and engineering. IMSTEA, the organization sponsoring the event, is a non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to improving the mathematics, science, and technological literacy and competency of all Hoosiers. It was founded in 1990 and continues to pursue this goal today. Beginning in 1996, key leaders in Indiana business, education, and industry, along with the Department of Education and the Indiana Math Science Technology Education Alliance recognized that creating an event that would showcase true integration of mathematics, science, and technology could make learning more relevant to the lives of students. The result is the highly successful Indiana Super Mileage Challenge. The SMC is a high school competition providing students with the unique opportunity to combine theoretical aspects of mathematics, science, and technology with practical experience in the design, engineering, fabrication, and testing of an actual vehicle. For the past 11 years, students from across Indiana have been "challenged" by the SMC. They work throughout the school year to design, build, and improve vehicles. They then test the prototypes in competition each year at the NHRA's O'Reilly Raceway Park oval. This highly competitive event features innovative student solutions for achieving optimum mpg. Student teams design a one-person, fuel-efficient car powered by a single cylinder, four-cycle engine. The 2006 Unlimited Class Champion is William Henry Harrison High School, of Lafayette, Indiana whose team achieved 1060.30 mpg. The Stock Class Champion was Mater Dei High School of Evansville, Indiana with 1241.76 mpg. It All Begins in the Fall Each year the SMC season begins with a letter of intent to participate that is sent to schools across the state. The responding schools are sent a copy of SMC rules and directions to the IMSTEA website at www.imstea.org. They are also offered guidance (especially needed by new teams) on how to get started. Finally, the schools are provided with the deadlines for submission of design proposals, the tentative date of the event, and any other necessary technical support that may be needed. Often, a new team may want to visit an experienced team near their school for help. This is often the best way to start. A mentor team can provide much support. New teams often learn that guidance and assistance from mentors can be very valuable in building a successful entry. Schools may have up to two entries each year, one in the stock class and one in the unlimited class. The stock class is based on engines provided by Briggs & Stratton Corporation. The engines are then sealed by IMSTEA officials. The unlimited class allows schools to modify the engine as long as it meets certain specifications. IMSTEA rules governing the cars and allowable modifications are provided in the rules package sent to each school. Many schools compete with both a stock-class vehicle and an unlimited-class vehicle. It is important to note that a school may not elect to enter into the unlimited class until after they have successfully competed in the stock class for one year. Working Through the Winter After schools have elected to participate, the portfolio season starts during the fall and the early winter months. Teams begin the design, marketing, and construction of their vehicles. Some schools do their work as part of their curriculum, whereas most conduct the work as a co-curricular or club activity. Students work to learn the rules, gain sponsorships, research, locate parts, and learn how to design in CAD or 3-D CAD programs, and most importantly, how to document their work through a design proposal. …