Coaches' Corner—
Resources for Educators

JETS launched the 5th edition of the signature assessment tool, aptly renamed, ASSESS on February 1st! Formerly known as the NEAS+ assessment tool, the newly updated and revised ASSESS now features three parts: explore, assess, and experience.

This academic self-assessment tool is designed to help high school students identify their strengths and weaknesses in subject areas important for success in college engineering and technology programs such as mathematical understanding, science reading and reasoning, and practical understanding.

Students can take ASSESS individually and at their convenience or through a program offered by their high school, a university, college or professional organization. ASSESS is being offered at an introductory price of just $12 now through April 1st. After April 1st, the price will return to its usual amount of $20, with quantity discounts available.

To order your copy of ASSESS, click here.

High school students from across the country have been working in teams to develop a solution to a problem to help a person with disabilities enter or advance in the workplace. Teams have completed research and have developed, tested and evaluated a prototype device.

Congratulations to our five finalist teams: Gann Academy, from Waltham, MA, Gardner Edgerton High School, from Gardner, KS, Grand Rapids Catholic Central HS, from Grand Rapids , MI, Staples High School from Westport, CT and Wallenpaupack Area High School from Hawley, PA. Each team has won an all expense paid trip to Washington DC, on February 15, 2007 to present, demonstrate, and defend their prototype.

The best overall design will win $3,000 for the winning team's sponsoring department. Second and third place entries will also be awarded $1,500 for their sponsoring departments. In addition, each of the five students on the national finalist teams will be awarded a $50 gift certificate to the Discovery Store.

Learn more about our finalists. Click Here.

The JWOD/JETS NEDC is an exciting program that allows students to explore, research, design, and build a working product that will help individuals with disabilities enter and succeed in the work force. Besides gaining valuable knowledge and skills, students are able to walk away knowing that they have made a difference in someone's life.

Participating in the JWOD/JETS National Engineering Design Challenge is a cross-curricular activity that involves problem solving skills, math, science, research, writing, presentation skills, and drafting/design skills.

TEAMS officially kicked off the 2007 Competition season on February 3rd with the first competition taking place at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA. Since then thirteen additional competitions have taken place across the country with over sixty set to take place in the coming weeks.

TEAMS challenges high school students to work in groups to solve real world engineering scenarios in a fast-paced, one-day, two-part competition. Test problems focus on topics relative to today's society, with some of this year's questions pertaining to energy efficiency, hurricane impact, and cancer treatments. 1300 teams from across the country and overseas have registered this year, all competing for local, state and national ranking and recognition.

Challenge yourself and be apart of TEAMS. To learn more, request a free copy of our informational DVD by following the link on the TEAMS HOMEPAGE.

Applications are NOW being accepted for the Next Generation Scholarship Fund! Click here for an application.

Students: Thinking about a career in engineering? Maybe you're thinking about getting a degree in chemical, electrical, mechanical, materials, or nuclear engineering. Did you know that with any of those degrees you can pursue a career in the power industry?

Now is a great time to consider a career that helps run the world! Power generation is the backbone of what makes our economy and society function. Electricity, in some way, impacts nearly every aspect of our lives. From our homes, our businesses, our cars, to our health and safety, our critical infrastructure requires a dependable and economic supply of electricity.

Quick Facts:

• Over the next 15 years, it is estimated that more than 300,000 people will retire from the power industry.
• The International Energy Agency estimates world electricity demand will double by 2030—only 24 years from now!
• The US Department of Energy projects national demand will increase 45% in 20 years.

JETS and Power Engineering Magazine are offering a new scholarship to help make your pursuit of a power engineering career possible. The Next Generation Scholarship is now taking applications! This $5,000 academic scholarship is open to all currently enrolled United States 12th grade students. Students expressing an engineering career interest in the power industry and planning to enroll in a four-year engineering program should apply. Click here to download the application guidelines and essay requirements. Entries must be submitted to JETS by March 2, 2007. Contact JETS for more information.

JETS Clubs has reached over 1000 registered members!

Stay tuned for more information on the new JETS Clubs coming in September 2007! The new JETS Clubs will include monthly contests, online Clubs community, and much, much more!

JETS Clubs makes all of JETS resources and benefits available to students, parents, teachers and club leaders in a new package. JETS Clubs members received their first monthly club only email. It included three JETS Challenge problems, a TEAMS problem, two activities courtesy of The Engineering Pathway Portal, and several discussion topics. Members are also sent a preformatted lesson plan.

In addition, JETS Clubs members also receive a subscription to the Pre-Engineering Times, special discounts at the JETS Store, TEAMS and NEDC updates and registration fee promotions, and much more. Best of all it's free! There is no fee to participate during the inaugural year. For more information contact us at clubs@jets.org or (703) 548-5387 x 104.

Don't wait! Sign up today and start receiving your JETS Club Benefits.

What can a team of high school students invent with $10,000?

Apply for a Lemelson-MIT InvenTeams grant and receive up to $10,000 for a team of high school students, teachers, and mentors to identify a problem and invent a solution for it. Teacher stipends are available.

Past InvenTeams have invented a watermelon ripeness evaluator, omni-directional wheelchair, pothole prediction and prevention device, and portable water treatment.

Each June, InvenTeams demonstrate their inventions during the InvenTeams Odyssey at MIT. This year, up to 35 applicants from the initial application round will be named Excite Award recipients. These recipients will be invited to attend workshops during the June 2007 Odyssey to learn first-hand about invention and the InvenTeams experience, and receive guidance to develop the final application. From this pool, up to 15 InvenTeams will be selected, receive grants and then invited to MIT for their own Odyssey in June 2008; limited funding is available.

Inspire a new generation of inventors. Initial applications are due April 27, 2007; apply at web.mit.edu/inventeams or e-mail questions to inventeams@mit.edu.

Design Squad, a new television show coming to PBS in February 2007, is part reality competition, all engineering, and major fun. Design Squad follows eight high school students as they compete to design and build fantastic, whimsical, fully operational engineering projects. Projects include everything from a machine that automatically makes pancakes to a motorized red wagon that can reach speeds up to 20mph. In the final episode, the two top-scorers battle for the Grand Prize-a college scholarship provided by the Intel Foundation. Visit http://pbskidsgo.org/designsquad and watch a clip from the show, meet the cast, and take a sneak peek inside the set.

Attending ITEA in San Antonio?

Check out the Engineering Concepts for Your Classroom pre-conference workshop. Representatives for ASME/ASCE/IEEE, will present hands-on engineering concepts, instructional strategies, and practical activities that utilize everyday materials and problems. The workshop will illustrate how engineering design processes and concepts can be integrated into secondary classrooms. Click here to learn more.