Competition General Rules (pool events)

Schedule

Engineering Notebook Challenge

2018 Team Entry Rules

The 2018 International SeaPerch Challenge will be held June 1-3, 2018 at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth in North Dartmouth, Massachusetts. More than 200 teams are expected to compete for the title of International Champion with their SeaPerch ROVs. Students will once again enjoy a “college experience,” as accommodations and meals will be available for all participants on the campus of the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Established SeaPerch Qualifying Competitions that have been properly registered may enter winning teams to the 2018 International SeaPerch Challenge in accordance with the following criteria:

The ratio of winning middle school to high school teams represented at the International Challenge shall be closely proportional to the ratio of middle school to high school teams competing in their qualifying competitions.  A team is comprised of a minimum of one (1) students and one (1) adult chaperone. Each team must have at least one (1) and no more than four (4) registered adult chaperones.  Chaperones my not be registered with multiple teams.  Students may not be on multiple teams.

Forming SeaPerch Qualifying Competitions that have been properly registered may send up to two (2) winning teams.  Again, the ratio of winning middle school to high school teams represented at the International SeaPerch Challenge shall be closely proportional to the ratio of middle school to high school teams competing in their qualifying competitions. A team is comprised of a minimum of one (1) students and one (1) adult chaperone.  Each team must have at least 1 and no more than 4 registered adult chaperones.  Chaperones my not be registered with multiple teams.  Students may not be on multiple teams.

Upon completion of a Qualifying Competition, the Qualifying Competition Coordinator will do the following:

1. Provide adult leaders of winning teams with the “Qualifying Team Preparation Checklist” (provided by the International SeaPerch Challenge Planning Committee in advance of the Qualifying Competition), which contains all the necessary registration links for teams to complete the final registration of their teams and ROVs as well as the housing/meal plan registrations for all participants.
2. Within five (5) business days after the competition, submit a list of the winning teams, along with coaches’ names and contact information, to the International SeaPerch Challenge organizers for verification of team registrations.
3. Additionally, Competition Coordinators will oversee the team registrations to ensure they are completed on a timely basis. Team leaders will be responsible for registering their teams and paying the registration fees, bearing in mind that a team registration will be considered incomplete until payment has been received and verified. Deadline to register and pay all fees is May 4th, 2018.

Failure to provide this information within the allotted time frame will result in spaces being released to the waitlist or reallocated to other properly registered events.

All students and chaperones must sign the “Liability Waiver/Photographic Release/Code of Conduct Form” form. Forms must be turned into the team Dropbox with other competition deliverables. Instructions will be provided upon completing registration.  Students must have their parent’s signature in order to compete. Forms can be found at http://www.seaperch.org/seaperch_challenge

All team chaperones are required to submit to a background check through Verified Volunteer. Background checks previously completed by other agencies or organizations will not be honored. Instructions will be provided upon completing registration.

Please continue to monitor the International SeaPerch Challenge webpages for the latest Event Schedule, the Team Entry Rules, Competition Rules and Events, and scoring rubrics.

Entry Fees

Eligible teams will be able to register for the International SeaPerch Challenge once they receive the Team Preparation Checklist from their Competition Coordinator. 

Separate on campus housing and meal package will be offered at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth for teams and chaperones only.

Team Registration

ROV Fee - $200 - Only one (1) SeaPerch ROV will be allowed to be used throughout the competition, and once the Compliance Check has been completed on that vehicle, only modifications to that vehicle may be made. No ROV vehicle substitutions will be allowed.

Students -     A registration fee of $80 will be charged for each student attending the International SeaPerch Challenge. This registration fee includes an official t-shirt, the team social and lunch at the competition.

Chaperones - A registration fee of $80 will be charged for each chaperone attending the International SeaPerch Challenge. This registration fee includes an official t-shirt, the team social and lunch at the competition.

Spectators

A registration fee of $80 per person includes an official t-shirt, the team social and lunch at the competition. However, any person (classmates, teachers, mentors, advisors, parents and friends) may observe the International SeaPerch Challenge during the day and observe the awards ceremony at no cost.

Definitions

Established SeaPerch Qualifying Competition

An Established Competition is defined as having a total of 20 or more active middle and high school-level in school, after school and/or out-of-school SeaPerch programs for which the Region has organized and held at least one competition within the 2017-18 timeframe. Documentation of these competitions must be posted on the SeaPerch website calendar.

Forming SeaPerch Qualifying Competition

A Forming Competition is defined as having a total of 20 or more developing middle and high school-level in-school, after school and out-of-school SeaPerch programs. The Forming Region must demonstrate that it has made plans to organize and hold a competition sometime during the 2017-18 timeframe. Documentation of that competition must be posted on the SeaPerch website calendar.

Competition Coordinator

A Competition Coordinator is experienced in the SeaPerch program and is the point of contact for the Existing or Forming Qualifying Competition. This person is actively engaged in and aware of all SeaPerch-related activities in the region. The Coordinators will be responsible for providing the names and contact information of the winning teams at their qualifying competition, and by following up to ensure that those winning teams have registered for the International SeaPerch Challenge on a timely basis prior to the May 4, 2018 deadline.

Middle School

Middle School is defined as less than and including eighth (8th) grade.

High School

High School is defined as ninth through twelfth (9th-12th) grades.