‘Hole in One’ Invention Challenge not Par for the Course

WHAT: Twenty middle school and high-school teams, plus other teams of JPL employees, will face off in the 16th annual JPL-sponsored Invention Challenge. This year’s challenge is called “Hole in One.”

The objective of the 2013 challenge is to create a device that can propel or move a golf ball into a target located about 5 feet (1.5 meters) away from the device. Only one attempt is allowed. The team that completes the task in the fastest time will win the competition.

Teams are encouraged to construct their inventions from any materials and resources at their disposal, guaranteeing a wide-range of interesting and creative devices. Detailed instructions were posted in August, giving teams two-and-a-half months to prepare for the regional competitions and the final, the JPL Invention Challenge.

For the student teams, regionals were held November 23rd at Augusta Hawkins High School in Los Angeles and Chapman University in Orange. The 20 teams with the best scores will be competing at JPL this coming Friday, December 6.

WHO: Twenty school teams from around Los Angeles and Orange Country (full list below) as well as 11 JPL teams.

WHEN: Friday, December 6, 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

WHERE: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109

Reporters who would like to cover the event at JPL must arrange access by contacting David Israel in the JPL Media Relations Office by 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, at 818-354-4797 or david.israel@jpl.nasa.gov .

More information about the Invention Challenge is at: http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/events/inventionchallenge/

List of participating schools:

Muskwa Club, Rancho Palos Verdes

Glendale High School, Glendale

Los Angeles County High School for the Arts, Los Angeles

Alexander Hamilton High School*, Los Angeles

Culver City High School*, Culver City

University High School, Los Angeles

Crescenta Valley High School, La Crescenta

South Pasadena High School, South Pasadena

Los Angeles Senior High, Los Angeles

San Marcos High School, Santa Barbara

Arcadia High School, Arcadia

Temple City High School, Temple City

Diamond Bar High School, Diamond Bar

Pacific Technology School-Santa Ana, Costa Mesa

Granite Hills High School*, El Cajon

Fountain Valley High School, Fountain Valley

*Multiple teams participating