Cotter Students Take First Place in National Smart Automation Design Challenge

Representing Cotter Schools were incoming seniors Jack Slaggie, Zephyr Paulsen, and Jaxon Greshik, coached by Cotter Engineering teacher Eric Paulsen.

For the design challenge, student teams were tasked with creating a furniture frame that minimized the use of traditional fasteners such as staples, screws, and bolts. Teams then presented their designs to a panel of industry judges.

The Cotter team’s innovative design earned first place in the competition. As part of the award, the students presented their design to the entire national conference audience.

Their presentation drew significant praise from conference attendees and industry professionals. Several attendees assumed the students were college students because of the quality and professionalism of their design and presentation. They were surprised to learn that the team members are still high school students.

One conference attendee was so impressed with the team’s design that they suggested the students consider patenting their idea.

“We are incredibly proud of Jack, Zephyr, and Jaxon for the creativity, technical knowledge, teamwork, and professionalism they demonstrated throughout this competition,” said Eric Paulsen, Cotter Engineering teacher and the team’s coach. “They represented Cotter exceptionally well and showed what is possible when students are given opportunities to solve real-world problems and present their ideas to industry professionals.”

The experience provided the students with an opportunity to apply engineering and automation concepts in a real-world setting while working alongside industry leaders and competing against other student teams.

Cotter Schools continues to expand opportunities for students to explore engineering, STEM, automation, and career-connected learning, helping students develop the technical and communication skills they need for college and future careers.