Students in 5th – 12th grade in teams of three will compete for various prizes. The challenge requires students to design, build, and launch model rockets, test hypotheses, analyze data and share their results with a panel of aerospace & STEM professionals. Participants will receive information and mentorship for additional regional, national, and international competition experiences.

FIRE Rocket Challenge Website

VEX IQ offers students in 5th-8th grades the opportunity to develop STEM research skills, mechanical design and assembly experience, and programming autonomous and remote-drive robotics skills. Teams of students are tasked with designing and building a robot to play with other groups in a game-based engineering challenge. The program provides local, regional, and national competition experiences.

Via autonomous and remote-drive robotics skill challenges, students in 9th-12th grade will learn C/C+ Programming and mechanical design, fabrication, and assembly. Teams of students are tasked with designing and building a robot to play against other teams in a game-based engineering challenge. The program provides local, regional, and national competition experiences.

Middle and high school-age students learn the skills needed to design and market a racing team successfully. Learned skills include but are not limited to engineering design and manufacturing, programming and electronics, project management, as well as business marketing. Groups of students are tasked with designing and building an RC car or Autonomous Vehicle to meet specific targets and race the car in a NASCAR-like challenge. Teams also will market their program and present their project to a panel of judges to gain points toward winning the competition. The program provides local, regional, and national competition experiences.

The competition builds math skills, promotes logical thinking, and sharpens students’ analytical abilities. MATHCOUNTS motivates and rewards students by fostering teamwork and a competitive spirit. It involves students and teachers in year-long coaching sessions and helps students at all levels improve their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. The program provides local, regional, and national competition experiences.

​Try-Math-A-Lon (TMAL) is a weekly math practice program meant to foster good study habits to help prepare students for standardized exams such as the ACT and SAT, groom them for success in STEM courses, and promote competition and good sportsmanship. The TMAL competition consists of two components: in-person testing as a team and a quiz bowl. Groups of students compete in fast-paced math and science Olympiad style format. The program provides regional and national competition experiences.

FIRE’s Medical Technology Software Engineering (MTSE) program is a 1 semester program designed to introduce high school computer science students to the medical technology device industry. The course will introduce basic technology techniques and software engineering principles.

In a competitive atmosphere, high school students will take a business idea from conception to the creation of a fully functioning retail business. Students learn entrepreneurship, logistics, marketing and branding, website development, and project management skills. The program provides local, regional, and national competition experiences.

This program is a must for high school students interested in getting a head start to a successful college or career experience. Students will learn the “soft skills” needed to succeed in life. Some of the topics covered include Interview Prep, Resume Writing & Critique, Navigating College App, Developing Your Brand, Strengths Assessment, Public Speaking, Life Skills, and Financial Literacy.

In collaboration with our community and university partners, students will learn the importance of being financially savvy. Closing the wealth gap demonstrated in our communities, students will learn how to budget, save, and invest in their future.

In collaboration with NSA and Capitol Technology University, students will take advantage of high school work-study, internship, and co-op opportunities, Gifted and Talented Program, scholarships, and hands-on cybersecurity training and competitions/ challenges.