USELESS O B J E C T COMPETITION The Challenge: Design and build a tool, game or vehicle that is profoundly useless, calamitously complex, stultifyingly inefficient, overly engineered, or fecklessly impractical.
Why a useless object?
Because to build something useless is to understand what makes things truly useful. Kinda turns your head inside out, doesn’t it?
Scores will be based upon the following categories : Utter Uselessness - Craftsmanship Presentation - Design Package Overall Marvel
Saturday, April 16 9 a.m.-noon Denver Academy Open to 6th-grade, middle-school & high-school teams Questions? See Ms. Ball at Denver Academy, email her at bball@denveracademy.org or ring her at 303.570.0643 before 8 p.m.
USELESS O B J E C T COMPETITION
Intent to Compete Form I/we _______________________________________(team name) do hereby declare
(you should probably raise your right hand here, unless you’re right handed. In that case, raise your left)
our Intent to Compete in the Useless Object Competition on Saturday, April 16, 2011, at the Denver Academy campus. We agree to make our best effort, follow the rules of the event, and compete fair and square. To the best of our knowledge, the members of this team and corresponding job descriptions listed below are accurate. Should members, job descriptions, or intentions change in the course of designing and fabrication of the Object, we will let Ms. Ball know, but not at the last minute, because that would be unprofessional and just plain rude. We understand that we may be photographed at the competition and that our likenesses (that means pictures, portraits, or doodles of us) may very well appear on the Denver Academy website or elsewhere. We’ll do our best not to have food in our teeth when the photographers come around. Members/Job Descriptions/phone or email address 1. CAPTAIN 2. 3. 4. (More than 4? Write on the back) OK, somebody sign here: _____________________________________________________________________ Give this to Ms. Ball, Denver Academy, 4400 East Iliff Avenue Denver, CO 80222 by March 15 bball@denveracademy.org 303.570.0643
USELESS O B J E C T COMPETITION
Saturday, April 16, 2011 Denver Academy 4400 East Iliff Avenue, Denver CO 9 a.m.—noon The Challenge: Design and build a tool, game, or vehicle that is profoundly useless, calamitously complex, stultifyingly inefficient, overly engineered, and/ or fecklessly impractical. Rules: 1. Competitors must submit an Intent to Compete form by March 15. This form is how you express your individual or team intentions and commit to the competition and its format. 2. Object must be manufactured by you -- pre-made parts are, naturally, allowed -- but the object itself must be original in concept and action. 3. Object must be accompanied by a Design Package: labeled scale drawings, description of the thinking/fabrication process, narrative of expected performance, and a personal world-view statement from the point of view of your object. 4. All judges' decisions are final. However, if you simply cannot live with the results of the event, written disputes may be submitted to the Objections Committee, a loosely formed group that may or may not convene at an undisclosed location and an unpublished time of day. Wait, there’s more . . . Useless Object Competition, Beverly Ball, Denver Academy, 4400 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO 80222 bball@denveraademy.org 303.570.0643
-25. Object must be presented at scheduled presentation time at the event on Saturday, April 16, 2011, between 9 a.m. and noon. Presentations cannot last fewer than five or more than ten minutes. Objects made by a team must be presented by the entire team. Your job here is to present your Object in a way that proves its useless winningness. 6. Sixth-grade, middle-school, or high-school teams may enter. The grade of the oldest member of your team determines which category you’re in – for example, a team of three 6th-graders and an 11th-grader competes in the highschool division. 7. As a rule, complexity and over-engineering are encouraged. Points will be added for the Rube Goldberg-ness of your object. Please think your idea into a corner. 8. The use of pneumatics, hydraulics, electronics, and mechanical advantage are permissible and highly encouraged. No explosives, fire, firearms, profanity, hazardous or illegal substances, or nudity.
Scoring: Scoring will be based upon the following categories, 20 points each : 1. Utter Uselessness 2. Craftsmanship 3. Presentation 4. Design Package 5. Overall Marvel (includes originality) Esteemed judges and valuable prizes to be announced.
For questions, concerns, and moral support, contact Beverly Ball via email at bball@denveracademy.org or ring her on her call phone before 8 p.m. at 303.570.0643
Useless Object Competition, Beverly Ball, Denver Academy, 4400 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO 80222 bball@denveraademy.org 303.570.0643
Useless Object Competition Design Package A big part of this competition depends upon your Design Package. This is how the judges get to understand your process, ―build sensibility,‖ and the Object itself. Be sure your Design Package includes these four things (one sheet of paper for each). And make sure your team name is on everything in case a big gust of wind comes along and messes up all the entries. It’s been known to happen: Labeled scale drawings – this is your object in 2-D. Include the dimensions, label the parts, and shoot for professionalism. No smudges, crossouts, or coffee stains. Description of the thinking/fabrication process – this is where the writing starts. Participating in this competition means you started out with nothing and ended up with something -- explain to us how your object came to be. Here are some questions to ponder, in no particular order. What were your initial thoughts and plans as you began the process? How did you form your team? Where did you get your materials? How did your ideas, plans, and processes evolve over time? How did you make your Object, test it, revise it? How have you aligned yourself with or been challenged by the idea of uselessness? Any big disasters or discoveries? Ever feel like giving up? What kept you going? What’s the name of your object? What have you accomplished, anyway? Narrative of expected performance – yes, more writing. But really, how do you think this object of yours will fare? This must be written in the future tense, as if you’re imagining what is to come. Personal world-view statement – this is written from the point-of-view of your object. Your object is getting a little philosophical here. What is its guiding force? What is the statement it lives by? What is its purpose and its vision? What are its goals? Its core beliefs? What advice would it give its children?
Useless Object Competition, Beverly Ball, Denver Academy, 4400 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO 80222 bball@denveraademy.org 303.570.0643
Useless Object Competition 2011 Submit Sheet Team Name: Team Members/Job Titles:
Object Name: Category :
O
tool
O game
O vehicle
Yes, I have included here my . . .
O
Labeled scale drawings
O
Description of the thinking/fabrication process
O
Narrative of performance
O World view Contact info for team captain:
Submit everything with your object on Saturday, April 16, 2011.
Useless Object Competition, Beverly Ball, Denver Academy, 4400 East Iliff Avenue, Denver, CO 80222 bball@denveraademy.org 303.570.0643