The Student Superpower Challenge
What is it?
The Student Superpower Challenge is a bilingual event and creative competition for New Brunswick high school students to think up some cool solutions to the problems they see. The competition is co-hosted by T4G, Brilliant Labs and Wicked Ideas. We want to help New Brunswick teens discover their next big idea – with the help of technology.
Three creative student teams, or individuals, will win one of three $5,000 prizes and mentor support to help them develop their idea into a working prototype. To be eligible, participants must submit their idea proposals by April 30th, 2014. A panel of judges will select eight finalists, who will join us May 15th 2014 to pitch their ideas. Three winners will be selected and received funding and mentor support to develop their proposals into working prototypes.
How does it work?
The theme of the Student Superpower Challenge is Imagine! Create! Pitch!
To enter follow these instructions.
Step 1: Imagine!
Identify a real-world problem you want to try and solve using technology that fits into one of these five broad categories:
- Our Town – Ideas to improve life around our communities, such as parks, sports, entertainment, culture, public transit, roads and recreation;
- Our People – Ideas to improve health and wellness, empower newcomers to participate in Canadian society, address poverty and homelessness or increase youth engagement in public policy and elections;
- Our Environment – Ideas to generate clean energy, food security and protect water, air or soil;
- Our School – Ideas to improve your school day, including student productivity, activities and infrastructure; and,
- Our Style – Ideas to drive great design of all kinds including; industrial design, gaming design, fashion design, building design; information design, set design; equipment design and user experience design.
Step 2: Create!
Research the problem and then develop your proposal, answering the following questions in your submission:
- So what? – What’s problem do you want to solve? How will you solve it? What’s the technology? What will your prototype consist of?
- Who cares? – Who will it help? What is the desired outcome?
- Why you? – Who’s on the team? What’s your story? How will you measure success?
Be creative! Convince us – using whatever format you choose – that you’ve got the best idea. Please, no fireworks.
Deadline: April 30, 2014 at 5 p.m. AST.
No extensions. No excuses.
Email your proposal to Brian McCain at Brilliant Labs.
Step 3: Call us!
Between now and April 30th contact us if you have any questions or if you want some advice on your idea. We are here to help!
Wickedideas.ca is the site for our public conversation. Here we’ll be posting stories about technology and students, what’s happening in New Brunswick and around the world, and answering any general questions you might have about your idea and the competition.
For specific questions or to talk with a technology mentor email Brian McCain or Lisa Hrabluk.
You can follow and connect with us on Twitter and Facebook too!
Step 4: Pitch!
Our trio of Superpower judges will review all the proposals and select eight finalists to join us for Pitch Day .
Proposals will be evaluated based on the following criteria:
- Does it make sense? How well the concept was explained;
- Do we need it? Proof of a genuine need for the proposed solution;
- Can it be done? Feasibility of the idea;
- Is the talent there? Evidence that the applicants are able to deliver;
- Did it catch our attention? We want proposals that engage us. Be creative!
We will contact the finalists on Wednesday May 7th, 2014.
We will publicly announce the finalists and their ideas on Thursday May 8th, 2014 on Wicked Ideas.
The finalists will be required to present a five-minute pitch of their idea in front of a live audience.
When: Friday May 16th, 2014
Where: Planet Hatch, 10 Knowledge Park Dr., Fredericton
Time: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.
The day breaks down like this:
11 a.m. – Arrive and welcome
11:15 a.m. – Mentor Minutes: Our finalists will get the chance to explain their ideas, get feedback and support from our Superpower mentors and coaches.
12 p.m. – Lunch
12:30 p.m. – The Pitches: Finalists will pitch their ideas and then receive feedback and encouraging advice from the audience, including the other finalists.
2 p.m. – Judges get to work
2:20 p.m. – Winners announced. They will receive money and mentor support as they take their idea to the next stage of development.
2:30 p.m. – Mentors and finalists discuss next steps for all the ideas.
3 p.m. – Depart
Teachers and parents/guardians welcome. Please limit supporters to a maximum of two people per participant.
Got questions? Contact Brian McCain at Brilliant Labs.
