Yahoo Finance

SAN JOSE, CA--(Marketwired - April 24, 2016) - Thousands of students from across Northern California participated in the 29th annual Tech Challenge, sponsored by EMC Corporation, this weekend. More than 2,000 students worked in teams for months to design and build gliders to deliver supplies to a remote location. They put their projects to the test in front of cheering crowds at The Tech Museum of Innovation, launching their gliders over a mini mountain range and landing them safely.

"We couldn't be more proud of and inspired by the students who participate in The Tech Challenge," said Tim Ritchie, president and CEO of The Tech. "They are living proof of what we deeply believe: people are born problem-solvers and, given the right tools and support, they can take on big challenges and succeed. We are committed to doing all we can to ensure that these bright young people will become the tech leaders of tomorrow."

The Tech Challenge, a signature program of The Tech Museum of Innovation in downtown San Jose, invites teams of students in grades 4-12 to use engineering design to solve a real-world problem. It reinforces 21st century skills including creativity, problem solving, design, teamwork, leadership, risk-taking, perseverance and learning from failure.

"I first joined The Tech Challenge because I wanted to do something interesting with my friends," said Jaelynn Pascual, a seventh-grader at Most Holy Trinity School in East San Jose. "I've since learned that practice makes perfect. If your design doesn't work at first, you keep going and fix it again and again until you get it right."

As a result of the design of the program, more than 40 percent of the participants are girls and more than 40 percent come from low-income communities, both of which are rarities in traditional engineering and science competitions.

"The Tech Challenge is a highlight each year for EMC people," said John Giubileo, senior vice president at EMC. "We're proud to continue our support of a program with a rich history of inspiring young people from all backgrounds and making STEM education exciting and accessible."

The Tech Challenge would not be possible without the enduring support of hundreds of educators. This year's Bob Grimm Award for an extraordinary educator was given to Richard Algea, a teacher at Lairon College Preparatory Academy in San Jose, for his commitment to bringing opportunities to children in low-income communities. Algea, a fourth-grade teacher, helped 30 students from multiple grades participate in this year's challenge.