eacH februarY durIng
engIneers week,
Texas engIneers work wITH
more THan 25,000 k–12 sTudenTs electronics applications, mechatronics, and
THrougH scHool vIsITs, scIence
technical math among its competition categories.
Science Olympiad (www.outreach.science.
nIgHTs and faIrs, worksHops,
tamu.edu/scienceolympiad.asp) is one of the
and oTHer acTIvITIes. largest competitions in Texas. It involves a
creaTe a career
variety of individual and team events that
works with colleges on K–12 outreach as follow the formats of board games, TV shows,
PorTfoLio
an associate research specialist for the state and athletic contests.
government’s Texas Transportation Institute. Another program is Destination
One valuable tool that can help you get
Such competitions are usually held for teams. ImagiNation (www.texasdi.org), in which
ready for college and beyond is a career
“In the real world, engineers and scientists students work as a team to apply creativity,
portfolio—a collection of items that
don’t work in isolation,” she says. “They critical thinking, and their own individual
document your achievements both in
almost always work as part of a team.” talents to solve a given challenge.
and out of school, assembled in one
The Technology Student Association highlights Finally, the First Robotics Competition
convenient package.
competitions at its state and national meetings (www.usfirst.org) challenges teams of
A career portfolio is not simply
that include engineering design, radio-controlled students and their mentors to build a robot
a resume, although it can certainly
transportation, and animatronics. SkillsUSA, a to solve a common problem and then enter
include one. So what should go in a
national organization that promotes leadership it into a series of competitions with other
career portfolio? A variety of things,
and career skills in all occupations, features teams’ robots.
depending on your own personal
experiences. It could include transcripts
and grades; writing samples; letters
of recommendation from teachers,
S P o T L I G H T
mentors, or employers; awards you’ve
received; and items that document
other activities, such as internships and
job shadowing experiences.
ENGINEERING ExCELLENCE “You need to be specific—dates, how
Students Compete to Create BEST robots
many years, any awards, what they
meant, and who you received them
B
esT (boosting engineering, science, and
from,” says Grace Brauchle, who helps
Technology) robotics is a nonprofit, volunteer-based
students put their portfolios together
organization whose mission is to inspire students to
as the career center coordinator for
pursue high-tech careers by participating in sports-like
Lehman High School in Kyle.
robotics competitions.
Brauchle says portfolios come in
“some students cringe when you talk to them about
handy when students apply for jobs or
a career in engineering,” says Ted mahler, cofounder of
admission to college. “First impressions
besT robotics and engineer with Texas Instruments in
are a very big thing,” she says, “and
dallas. “In this program, professionals show them that
you want to be the one whose papers
engineering is a step-by-step process that they can the robotics game, allows teams to compete in a
get passed around the office. You want
master. students in our program walk away with real series of three-minute matches. The second, the besT
to be the one where the admissions
engineering experience by solving a complex problem award competition, takes into account each team’s
counselors say, ‘Wow, look at this one!’”
with limited resources and a firm deadline.” notebook, oral presentation display, and spirit and
And a portfolio doesn’t have to be
besT competitions are divided geographically into sportsmanship. The award is presented to the team that
simply a collection of papers. Artists
“hubs” consisting of at least eight schools each. There best exemplifies the concept of boosting engineering,
and photographers use their portfolios
is no fee for schools to participate. Hubs are assisted science, and technology. In 2007, winners of local
to provide visual examples of their
in attracting sponsors, and industry professionals and competitions advance to the regional Texas besT
work, and so can you. Do you have
teachers act as mentors for the students. competition at Texas Tech university in lubbock.
photos of someone giving you an
The besT competition kicks off in september. “It’s no accident that our regional competitions take
award? Put them in. How about a video
Teams are provided with identical kits of equipment and place on college campuses,” says mahler. “we want to
of a performance? Include it on a DVD.
presented with the rules, theme, and playing field, all of familiarize students with the college atmosphere and
Do you have experience in Web design?
which vary each year. reinforce that, yes, they can go to college and succeed.”
Make an online portfolio to showcase
game day occurs six weeks after kickoff and for more information on besT robotics visit
what you can do.
includes two parallel competitions. The first, called www.bestinc.org.
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