Air Racer Engineering Challenge Takes Off in Technology Education

Students in the Oswego Middle School Technology Education program are applying engineering skills through the Air Racer Design Challenge! Working in teams, students design, build and test a rubber band-powered floor racer to travel the greatest distance.

The project reflects the Oswego City School District mission to empower and engage students to guarantee their successful future while advancing its vision of equity and excellence for each student. Through design thinking, problem-solving and systems thinking, students explore engineering concepts including energy transformation from potential to kinetic energy, friction, aerodynamics, force, mass distribution and mechanical efficiency.

Following the engineering design process, students brainstorm, sketch, prototype, test and refine their racers using performance data to guide continuous improvement. They analyze how stored elastic potential energy transfers into motion and how design choices influence stability, drag and overall distance.

“Most importantly, this hands-on experience builds confidence,” said OMS technology teacher Eric McCrobie. “Students see firsthand how scientific principles apply to real-world technological systems and they experience the excitement of watching their own innovation race across the floor.”

The challenge promotes collaboration, communication, critical thinking and integrity as students justify decisions, document their work and make evidence based adjustments. Students are able to build confidence while strengthening the academic and social-emotional skills essential for lifelong learning and future success.