Phases of the Challenge

The Challenge is a school-year-long program which is divided into eight phases. The following brief description of the phases will give you an overview of the year. At the Kickoff Conference, each team will receive a Challenge Handbook which gives full details about participation.

Phase One - Registration

Completed registration forms must be received at New Mexico Technet by 5:00pm on Tuesday, September 22, 1998. Original Team Entry Authorization Form signature sheets must be received at New Mexico Technet by 5:00pm on Tuesday, September 29, 1998. The registration URL is available from the main Challenge page:

http://www.challenge.nm.org

Phase Two - Kickoff Training Session At Glorieta, New Mexico

A two-day Kickoff Conference will be held at the Glorieta Conference Center for at least one student per registered team and the sponsoring teacher for each team. Instructors from the sponsoring national laboratories, private industry, and universities will provide training so participants can access the network and computers, learn about supercomputers and how to work with them, get some ideas about how to approach their projects, and find out the details of participating in the Challenge. There will be instruction for newcomers to the Challenge as well as for those with experience.

ROOM AND BOARD WILL BE PROVIDED AT A COST OF $20.00 FOR EACH STUDENT AND TEACHER ATTENDING GLORIETA.

Due to the increased demand for participation, we have broken the training into two sessions as follows:

Sunday, October 18, 1998 - Monday, October 18, 1998: Schools roughly more than 100 miles from Glorieta.

Monday, October 19, 1998 - Tuesday, October 20, 1998: Schools roughly less than 100 miles of Glorieta.

You will receive confirmation of enrollment and assignment of training dates by Wednesday, October 14, 1998.

Phase Three - School Visits During November

Challenge Representatives will visit all teams at their respective schools to address any issues, answer questions and ensure that you can connect to New Mexico Technet and Los Alamos National Laboratory. If it can be arranged, the Challenge representative would like to meet with the Principal or Headmaster.

Phase Four - Project Refinement and Interim Reports Due - October through Friday, January 8, 1999

After the Kickoff Conference, teams will have until Friday, January 8, 1999 (when the Interim Report is due), to refine their projects for the submittal of the Interim Report and subsequent participation.

Each team must electronically submit a report that describes the project, tells about the progress to date, and states the expected results of the work. Details about the report are in the Challenge Handbook.

Phase Five Regional Workshop Sessions - Tuesday, January 12, 1999 - Friday, January 22, 1999

A series of one-day workshops will be held at locations around the state. These sessions provide participants the opportunity to have questions answered and receive assistance with the project.

Region 1 - Eastern New Mexico University . . . January 12, 1999

Region 2 - New Mexico State University . . . . January 14, 1999

Region 3 - Santa Fe Community College . . . . January 20, 1999

Region 4 - University of New Mexico - Abq. . . January 19, 1999

Region 5 - UNM - Gallup . . . . . . . . . . . January 22, 1999

Region 6 - New Mexico Tech . . . . . . . . . . January 15, 1999

Phase Six Project Evaluation - Saturday, February 6, 1999 through Saturday, February 20, 1999

Team members will make an oral presentation, not to exceed 30 minutes, to a team of Challenge judges so that the judges can better understand their project, review progress and offer advice and direction on overcoming obstacles or finding additional resources.

Region 1 - Eastern New Mexico University . . February 6, 1999

Region 2 - New Mexico State University . . . February 6, 1999

Region 3 - NM Highlands University . . . . . February 13, 1999

Region 4 - University of New Mexico - Abq. . February 13, 1999

Region 5 - San Juan Community College . . . February 20, 1999

Region 6 - New Mexico Tech . . . . . . . . . February 20, 1999

NOTE: All team members do not have to be present - but it is highly recommended that they be there if not competing elsewhere.

Phase Seven - Submission of Final Project Report and Scholarship Applications

Teams will have until NOON, Wednesday, April 7, 1999 to complete and run their projects. Each team must submit a final report by that time. Specifications for this report are described in the Challenge Handbook.

Each Challenge year, scholarships may be awarded based on qualities demonstrated by individuals applying for consideration for the Scholarship Program. These scholarships are not automatic, and students wishing to be considered MUST apply. Application details are in the Challenge Handbook.

Scholarships available:

• Amy Beth Boulanger Memorial Scholarship: Four years/$2,400 per year

• One year Full Tuition Scholarship to New Mexico State University

• One time $2,400 Scholarship to University of New Mexico

• One time $2,400 Scholarship to New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology

• One time $2,500 Scholarship from Intel to any accredited institution of higher education in New Mexico

• One time $500 Scholarship from CHECS to any member institution in New Mexico

All scholarship applicants are subject to the following:

• MUST be an active member of a Challenge team consisting of more than one student.

• MUST attend a four-year university in New Mexico (any CHECS member institution)

• MUST be a New Mexico resident.

• MUST pursue a science, engineering or mathematics major.

• MUST meet the university GPA requirements.

• Amy Beth Boulanger Memorial Scholarship applicants restricted to seniors only.

Any student wishing to be considered for a scholarship award MUST submit the following:

A letter describing his/her contribution to the team project with an emphasis on the specific areas of leadership. The sponsoring teacher MUST endorse the team member's letter and outline the qualities and examples from the teacher's perspective. The Project Advisor and/or other team members may also provide supporting statements of this individual's role and contribution to the team effort. It is the responsibility of the teacher to ensure that all documentation, including supportive statements, are mailed in a separate envelope to:

NM SUPERCOMPUTING CHALLENGE
C/O New Mexico Technet
5921 JEFFERSON, N.E.
ALBUQUERQUE, NM 87109
ATTN: SCHOLARSHIP COMPETITION

Note: Do not include any other team project documentation with this application.

Phase Eight - Final Judging and Awarding of Prizes

In April at the conclusion of the Challenge, a panel of judges evaluates the team projects and the individual scholarship applicants. A number of teams are selected as finalist teams and invited to come to Los Alamos on April 27, 1999 to describe their projects to the judges. During the 30 minute presentation, the judges question team members about project details.

Applicants for the scholarships are also invited to Los Alamos on April 27, 1999 and are interviewed by the judges. Each individual is asked to describe this his or her role on the team.

All Challenge participants who have submitted a final report are invited to attend Awards Day in Los Alamos on April 28, 1999.