Thriving by Design Competition

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Thriving by Design Competition Eligibility

Adult Teams

1. Submissions must come from a team of two or more people.
2. Team must be interdisciplinary, meaning that members must come from at least two different backgrounds.  This can mean a mix of educational or professional backgrounds, such as architecture, landscape architecture, planner, community development, economic development, natural resources management, social work, health care planning, education, etc.  It can also mean a mix of professionals and non-professionals.  Participation by community members and students is encouraged.  All post-secondary student teams are allowed (and encouraged) as long as they are interdisciplinary.  Students in high school are allowed on adult teams if there are adult members of the team.
3. Teams must be led by someone who lives in or works primarily in Minnesota.
4. Members of the jury and planning committee and their families are excluded from the competition. 

Grades 5- 8

1. Submissions must come from a team of two or more people.
2. Team members should be in grades 5-8.  If a team would like to request an exception in order to allow someone younger than grade 5 on the team, they may do so.  Direct these requests to the competition coordinator before February 28.
3. Teachers or other adults may assist teams in understanding the competition, the rules and the assignment and help organize the teams and their work process, but the ideas and final product should be substantially the work of the youth.

Grades 9-12

1. Submissions must come from a team of two or more people.
2. The majority of team members must all be in grades 9-12, but younger students may also participate on the team.
3. Teachers or other adults may assist teams in understanding the competition, the rules and the assignment, but must not develop the design solution or contribute to the production of the final submittal.
4. Participants are encouraged to create teams with a diversity of membership, such as students from different classes (such as the sciences, the arts, social studies, etc.) or grades; members with rural backgrounds and those with city experience; immigrant students working with those born in the U.S., etc.