Annual high school manufacturing challenge returning to Citrus Heights

By Sara Beth Williams–
The Sacramento Valley Manufacturers Alliance is hosting its second annual High School Manufacturing Challenge on April 26 in Citrus Heights.

The high school manufacturing challenge invites students to create a functional tic-tac-toe game using various materials, including wood, metal, and plastic, within a 6.5-inch cube, according to the alliance’s website. Students can use both additive and subtractive manufacturing processes.

The challenge, hosted at San Juan High School in its inaugural year, is designed to “spark interest in vocational manufacturing careers.”

The competition is open to high school students throughout the greater Sacramento region and will award a total of $5,000 in scholarships, including top honors such as “Best Overall” and “Most Artistic,” and many other awards, according to a press release from the Sacramento Valley Manufacturers Alliance. Participating students will also have a chance to connect with local manufacturers and community college representatives, Dean Peckham with Sacramento Valley Manufacturers Alliance said in an interview.

Peckham said 117 high school students have registered for the event from 17 different high schools throughout the greater Sacramento region, including students from high schools in Roseville, Colfax, Woodland, Fair Oaks, Rancho Cordova, and Sacramento.

During the inaugural high school manufacturers challenge in 2024, Peckham said only 22 students presented projects for competition. The alliance was “pleasantly surprised” with the much higher number of interested students this year and Peckham noted that the alliance has been working with schools throughout the region in advance.

“We’ve been trying to incorporate this program into the schools’ curriculum so it’s not a last-minute add-on for the students. It becomes ingrained in the curriculum,” Peckham said.

Several other similar clubs and competitions often take place in the spring, Peckham acknowledged, such as robotics competitions, welding competitions, and a new H2 racing competition, which challenges students to build a remote control racing car using hydrogen as fuel.

The high school manufacturing challenge event is free and open to the public and will begin at 10 a.m., with registration and setup beginning at 9 a.m.. Judging for the event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and manufacturer employers will be judging the various projects. Peckham encouraged residents to come to the free event to observe and “get excited.”

“We’re trying to encourage students’ curiosity and show them that there are different career pathways into manufacturing,” Peckham said, adding that community college representatives will be at the event to talk about various manufacturing and engineering programs, such as electronics, machinery, and more.

During a City Council update, Citrus Heights City Councilmember Tim Schaefer praised last year’s high school challenge, calling it “amazing.”

“These kids got really creative on an old idea that’s a simple thing of tic-tac-toe,” Schaefer said. Vice Mayor MariJane Lopez-Taff also praised last year’s event, noting that students came out despite the heavy rain.

“It was a delight to witness the creativity on display,” Lopez-Taff said.

The high school manufacturing challenge is scheduled for April 26 at 10 a.m. at the Citrus Heights Event Center. The Citrus Heights Event Center is located at 6300 Fountain Square Drive.