National High School Design Challenge

Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum

The National High School Design Challenge is an annual competition hosted by Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum that invites students in grades 9 through 12 to respond to a design prompt focused on their communities and the nation's future. Working individually or in teams of up to three, participants submit a sketch and written response that identifies a meaningful design from their community's past and proposes an original design for its future. Entries are evaluated by museum staff on criteria including innovation and impact, giving students the opportunity to have their work reviewed by professionals at one of the country's leading design institutions. Best of all, the competition is completely free to enter, making it one of the most accessible and prestigious design opportunities available to high school students nationwide.