Teachers, save “Ping Pong Pickup—2023 Engineering Challenge” to assign it to your class.

Can you make a device out of paper, string, tape, and paper clips to pick up a ping pong ball and return it to a start line? What is the greatest distance over which your device can work? Students can only use the following materials to build their devices. Paper - Printer, construction, graph, or notebook paper (letter, A4 size, 9"x12" or 22x30 cm sizes are all allowed) Cardstock and newspaper are not allowed. 30 sheets 5 points per sheet, rounded up to the nearest whole sheet Paper clips - Any size up to 50 mm (2 inch), metal (coated or non-coated) 10 1 point each String - Any type up to 3 mm in diameter (dental floss, fishing line, cotton string, twine, yarn, etc.) 10 meters 1 point per 50 cm (must round up to the closest 50 cm) Tape - Maximum 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide, clear office tape, masking tape, or painter's tape. Duct tape, packing tape, and electrical tape are not allowed. One roll Free Ping pong ball Standard 1 Free - required for testing They can also use the following tools for building and testing their devices (the tools cannot be part of the device): Scissors Ruler Tape measure or meterstick Pencil Tape for marking the floor (does not count toward the one roll used in device construction)