It is an international creative problem-solving program that engages students from kindergarten through college. Participants work in teams to solve open-ended problems that encourage divergent thinking and reward innovation. These challenges often involve designing and building mechanical devices, presenting theatrical performances, or interpreting literary classics in original ways. Teams then present their solutions at regional, state, and world competitions.
Participation fosters teamwork, critical thinking, and ingenuity. The program encourages students to step outside conventional approaches and develop unconventional solutions, skills highly valued in academic and professional settings. Established in the late 1970s, it has grown into a global phenomenon, involving millions of students worldwide and nurturing generations of inventive problem-solvers.