The year started with hundreds of teams and over 2,000 of the Granite State’s most creative kids competing in Challenges rooted in testing the team’s problem-solving skills, creativity and teamwork. After four in-state tournaments, the top 108 teams competed Saturday.

Teams ranged from second through 12th grade and were appraised for unique and innovative approaches to Challenges that range from technical/mechanical design, robotics and scientific exploration to theater arts, literature, fine arts, improvisation and structural/architectural design.

The important part of the program is that the team went through the process of learning to work as a team, and being creative while leveraging each other’s skills, delivering results to meet up to 20 sets of criteria and keeping within a budget and time frame. The toughest part – only the student team can manage the results. There can be no help from parents, friends or any non-team members.