Overview

Hands-on learning is great, but what do kids actually learn in the process of creating something? The Make-to-Learn Youth Contest wants your help to find out!

If you're a maker between the ages of 13 and 18, this contest is for you. Share any project and answer four questions about what you learned over the course of the build. That's it. Whether you're making a pinewood derby car, a short movie, a videogame, a painting, a garden, a sweater, a science fair project, a school assignment, or practically anything else that required you to make something, you're encouraged to enter it into the contest!

Just be sure to answer these four questions:

1) What did you make? Tell us the story about what you made and how it works. What tools and materials did you use?

2) How did you make it? Tell us how you got the idea for the project. Did you work with anyone else? Did your plans and ideas change as you worked on the project?

3) Where did you make it? Did you work on it at home or at school or somewhere else -- or some combination? How did the project connect to other activities in your life?

4) What did you learn? Describe your biggest challenges and any surprises that arose during the build. What are you proudest of? If you had to do it again, what would you do differently?

Check out these two instructables to see how to write up your intro:
Medieval Dress
Church Cake

This contest will also be judged by an awesome group of folks:
Chad Sansing, Central Virginia Writing Project
Dale Dougherty, Maker Media
Leah Buechley, MIT Media Lab
Hsing Wei, The NYC Makery
Bud Hunt, Center for Make/Hack/Play
Michelle Leonhart, Los Angeles Makerspace
Karen Wilkinson, Exploratorium/tinkering studio™
Ayah Bdeir, littleBits
Kevin Miklasz, Iridescent
Antero Garcia, Colorado State University
Marc Lesser, MOUSE
Diana Wattanapongsakorn, DIY.org
Jeff Sturges, Mt Elliott Makerspace
 

Multiple entries are accepted, but each entrant can only win one prize. Contest is open to entries from US. Contest closes for entries at 11:59pm PT, April 15, 2013.

The winner(s) will be solely responsible for complying with any and all applicable statutes, laws (including, without limitation, common law, if applicable), rules and regulations and for bearing any personal income tax, VAT, withholding taxes, customs duties, or other taxes, fees, insurance, surcharges or other costs relating to receiving, claiming or collecting any prize.

The Make-to-Learn Youth Contest is closed.

Grand Prize

20 Prizes

Grand Prize (3 winners)

The Grand Prize winners will receive:
  • a new 32GB mini iPad
  • $50 gift card to the iTunes App Store
  • a $200 gift card. Winner's choice of SparkFun, Home Depot OR Amazon
  • a chance to win an opportunity to star in a professionally produced mini-documentary!

First Prize (5 winners)

First Prize winners will receive:
  • a $200 gift card. Winner's choice of SparkFun, Home Depot OR Amazon.
  • will have a chance to win an opportunity to star in a professionally produced mini-documentary!

Second Prize (10 winners)

Runner Up winners will receive:
  • a $50 gift card - winner's choice of SparkFun, Home Depot OR Amazon.
  • a chance to win an opportunity to star in a professionally produced mini-documentary!

Runner Up Prize (2)

Two Runner Up winners will receive an Instructables prize pack including a robot t-shirt!
How It Works

Write an Instructable

Create a new Instructable that fits the guidelines outlined in the contest description above. To be eligible, Instructables must be published between Feb 11, 2013 and Apr 15, 2013 (11:59pm PT).

Enter

Upon publishing your Instructable you'll see checkboxes for open contests. Select Make-to-Learn Youth Contest. If you have entries currently eligible for entry, it will also show up by clicking "Enter this Contest" on the right side of this page.

Accepting

Entries are accepted by Instructables staff within one business day Monday - Friday. What matters is the submission time, not acceptance time.

Judging

A panel of judges made up of Instructables staff and respected members of the community rate the finalists. The averages of the ratings determine the winners.

Winners

When the winners are decided they will be notified and announced here on the contest page.