Student Competitions

The ISDC ‘98 Student Competitions Program is designed as an Outreach Program to Wisconsin Middle Schools and High Schools, Grades 6-12. However students anywhere are welcome to participate, and a mail-in opportunity will be available. The program outlined here is a “work in progress” so watch for updates.

ESSAY and FICTION Competitions

Target Judging Day April 25th, 1998
System of Semi Finals under consideration

Awards to be presented as part of the Wisconsin Space Business Roundtable Meeting at the ISDC ‘98 Hotel (Hyatt Regency Milwaukee), Thursday evening, May 21st, 1998 (the eve of the Conference). Picture taken with “an Astronaut” (TBD)

Award winning Essays and Fiction pieces to be collected and published as the ISDC ‘98 Junior Proceedings, available for purchase at the conference. The award winning authors will be given free registration to the conference, their parents and/or friends are eligible for a reduced registration rate (TBD). We expect that there will be additional prizes.

ESSAY Topics

500-1000 words, depending on grade
8.5x11 double spaced typed or computer printed
Draft papers should be proof read for grammar and spelling, corrected version submitted.
Suggested themes are listed below:

• “Space energy and resources can help Earth’s environment”
• “Space developments can help the Third World”
• “Space is a frontier for human settlement”
• “Space is a place for fresh beginnings”
• “Farms and gardens make a space frontier settlement work.”

FICTION Categories

1000-5000 words
Can be a straight story, a humorous piece
or a news interview with a fictitious explorer or settler etc.
Suggested themes are listed below:

• Rescue in orbit, in deep space, on the Moon, on Mars. etc.
• My Summer Vacation trip to the Moon (Mars, etc.)
• My family’s first year in Luna City (Marsport, a Space Colony, etc.)
• Why I left Earth to be a pioneer on the Moon (Mars, etc.)
  

ART, MODEL, DIORAMA, COMPUTER CREATION Competitions

Display and Judging will be at the Sheboygan, Wisconsin Armory on Saturday May 17, 1998 as part of the Rockets for Schools rocket launching activities that day in Sheboygan. Sheboygan is 50 miles north of Milwaukee along the Lake Michigan shore.

Awards to be presented as part of the Wisconsin Space Business Roundtable Meeting at the ISDC ‘98 Hotel (Hyatt Regency Milwaukee), Thursday evening, May 21st, 1998 (the eve of the Conference). Picture taken with “an Astronaut” (TBD)

Award winning Entries will go on display in the ISDC ‘98 Exhibit Hall, and award winners will be given free registration to the conference, their parents and/or friends are eligible for a reduced registration rate (TBD). We expect there will be additional prizes.

COMPUTER Creations

• See Art Categories above
• CAD designs of outposts, spaceships, space stations, surface vehicles etc.
• Computer simulations of sports designed for 1/6th gravity of the Moon
  Note: momentum on the Moon has the same force as on Earth
  Note: introduce a suitable time delay for all gravity affected movements and then play with the rules of the game/sport until it becomes exciting.
  Games or sports are to be played in indoor courts circular courts 40 yards diameter maximum; oval courts 25x50 yards maximum; rectangular courts 25x40 yards maximum; square courts 35x35 yards maximum; Arena size, including spectator seating, 50 yards maximum diameter, 10 yards high
  Note: the ceiling can be used as a playing surface, as can glass walls separating the playing court from spectator seating areas.

ART Categories

maximum 12” x16” paper, foam core, no cardboard or construction paper; matted Bill Burt (414) 762-9315 and Cheryl Morissette (414) 649-9674 can answer questions submitted by/through teachers.
Suggested themes:

• "My Home (Farm, Hometown, School) on the Moon” (on Mars, in the Asteroids, in Space)
• “My personal Space Ship”
• “Me at work on the Space Frontier”
• “Inside my space, Moon, or Mars colony”
• “My hometown inside a Lunar Lavatube”
• Flags for the Moon and/or Mars Frontier Republics and/or a Solar System confederation
  

MODELS and dioramas

Models and table top dioramas should be portable in weight and size (maximum 30”X8’)
Some ideas:

• A Space Station resort hotel in orbit
• Lunar/Martian outpost with or without surrounding terrain
• A Lunar or Martian family home
• A tourist hotel on the Moon or

  Post ISDC Note: These planned student competions did not take place because we did not find a volunteer to organize them.