High school students from Mankato and Chisago Lakes earned top honors at the second annual Engineering design competition hosted at St. Cloud State University.

Over 140 students from 35 high schools across Minnesota competed in the engineering competition. Each team followed the steps of the engineering design process and documented their work on the new program Innovation Portal. The judges reviewing the students work were looking for projects that highlight the importance of engineering design and problem-solving in STEM education.

The first place team from Mankato East High School was awarded a $2,000 prize for their design of an automated process for laying out the lines on athletic fields to save time and money for ground crews. The second place team from Chisago Lakes High School won the $1,000 prize for their design of a tool that could remove weeds that line lake shores and disturb the waters biochemistry.