Join Us For Cob & Cog
October 3, 2025 | 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
-
This day promises to be an exciting, educational, and action-packed experience featuring 21 unique team competitions across a wide range of STEM fields for high school students. Teams of varying sizes will tackle challenges in areas such as technology, engineering, agriculture, and precision agriculture, all set in the state-of-the-art facilities at Ivy Tech Community College. This year, we’ve made changes to the competitions this year—many have been updated, added, or removed—so please review the contest details carefully.
-
DATE: Friday, October 3, 2025
TIME: 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
LOCATION: Ivy Tech Community College - South Campus | 1650 E Industrial Drive | Terre Haute, IN 47802QUESTIONS?
Contact Michael Mauntel at mmauntel@ivytech.edu or 812-298-2313 -
- Team sizes vary by event, ranging from 1 to 6 participants—please refer to the contest details for specific team requirements.
- Teams may only participate in one event as competitions are happening simultaneously.
- Each school is limited to one team per event.
- Some contests require teams to complete tasks before arriving at Ivy Tech.
- Schools must be registered by September 12, 2025.
-
Cob and Cog Contest Descriptions 2025
NOTE: The Biotechnology Challenge, the Travel Efficiency Challenge, and the Power Tool Drag Race all require advanced preparation. Each school team entering a contest must have 2-3 participants. Limit one school team per contest. Each contest has a capacity of 10 school teams.
1. Crop Consulting- Students will be presented with a scenario related to agronomy, along with supporting data. They will be expected to identify the underlying issue, analyze the information provided, develop a solution, and make a professional recommendation to the farmer based on their findings.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Nothing
2. Ag Sales contest- In this contest, you and your team will use the RSS method to create a customer profile. On the day of the contest, you’ll randomly draw a product to sell and use your profile to guide how you sell it. A judge will act as your customer, and your goal is to convince them to buy the product. The team that best applies the RSS method and gives the most effective sales pitch will be the winner.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Nothing
3. Precision Ag Mechanics Skill Knowledge- This contest will test students' ag mechanics skills through hands-on activities related to precision agriculture. It will focus on tools, equipment, and practices commonly used during cropping seasons in the United States. The contest includes two main parts: 1) Component ID and 2) Team Lab Practical
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Nothing
4. Soil Judging- Students will work with different soil samples and will be asked to identify each sample’s color, texture, percent clay, and percent sand. Scores will be based on how accurate their evaluations are. This contest is a great way to practice soil judging skills and learn more about what makes up healthy soil.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Nothing
5. Drones- Teams will fly a drone through an obstacle course as fast as they can. Each team member will take a turn, and the team with the fastest average time will be the winner.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Nothing
6. Livestock- Students will judge several classes of animals by comparing them to what is considered the ideal standard. After judging, teams will work together to answer questions about the animals they evaluated. The team that places the animals correctly and gets the most questions right will be the winner.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Nothing
7. Smart City Challenge- Students will be provided with the design they submitted and an Elego Arduino starter kit and will build a breadboard based (and optionally Arduino-controlled) demonstration of their proposed design.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: One week in advance, students will submit the urban problem their project will address. Suggestions include smart traffic lights, automatic street lighting, noise monitoring, pollution monitoring, crash detection, etc. Submit a 1-page concept proposal, including the problem addressed, and the sensors to be used. Arduino temp/humidity module, ultrasound sensor, photoresistor, and thermistor are provided as sensors. LEDs will be provided as outputs.
8. Bridge to the Future- Students will be provided with their proposed design and a set of building materials as indicated above. Students will build their bridge and test how much the bridge weighs and how much weight the bridge can support.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: One week in advance, students will submit a real-world bridge need. This could range from replacement of a bridge in need to a rural development project exemplified by Bridges to Prosperity. On contest day, students will build their proposed bridge, from spaghetti, thread, and masking tape. Submit a 1-page project proposal, identifying the location of the proposed bridge, the expected traffic it must support, the scale of the demonstration project, and how the materials used in the demonstration will predict the materials needed in real construction.
9. Break Free- Students will be provided with a basic lock-pick set, and three different locks offering increasing levels of difficulty. Students will pick the locks!
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Read, watch videos, etc. to teach yourself about lock-picking. Passing a provided knowledge assessment will be required to compete.
10. Rocket Stages- Teams will design and build a two-stage balloon rocket, using only the materials provided, to achieve the greatest distance traveled by the two stages combined.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Nothing
11. Power Tool Drag Race- Each team will design and build a new vehicle each year powered by a handheld power tool. The power tool vehicle will then run down the track to achieve the fastest time. Three races will be recorded, and the fastest time will determine the winner. The contestants will use a 3/8 drill as their mode of power for the 2025 race.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Teams must design and build their vehicle before the competition and bring it with them on event day. They will also need to make and submit a video showing their race car in action during practice runs. All the rules and guidelines will be shared ahead of time with teams that are signed up.
This vehicle must be designed and constructed in advance and brought to the competition! All relevant rules will be provided to all enrolled teams in advance.
12. Robo Challenge: In this hands-on robotics challenge, student teams will be given one hour to program a 6-axis industrial robot to complete a specific automation task. Using only the robot (no outside tools or hands-on assistance), teams will apply their skills in motion planning, command sequencing, and task execution. Judges will evaluate performance based on efficiency, accuracy, proper use of commands, and overall task completion time.
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: Students will need:
- Prior experience programming 6-axis industrial robotic arms using FANUC or Yaskawa/MOTOMAN interfaces.
- Basic understanding of pick-and-place logic and use of motion and non-motion commands.
- Familiarity with safety protocols in an industrial robotics environment.
13. Short Circuit - In this fast-paced competition, teams will wire electrical circuits and diagnose faults using diagnostic tools such as multimeters. The goal is to complete and troubleshoot as many circuits as possible—accurately and efficiently. Points are awarded for proper circuit completion, fault diagnosis, and documentation. A time bonus will be awarded to the fastest team to finish all tasks. Whether you're a beginner or a future electrician, this contest offers a fun, skill-building challenge in real-world electrical problem-solving.
Advanced Prep/Required to bring: Nothing; however, familiarity with multimeters and reading simple electrical schematics may be helpful.
14. Shape-Shift - In this beginner-friendly competition, teams will be provided with a real-world part that was made in our machining lab. Teams will have to use a variety of measuring tools to recreate a digital copy using Autodesk Fusion 3D modeling software.
Advanced Prep/Required to bring: Students will need:
- Access Autodesk Fusion at their school to complete and submit a required activity before coming to the Ivy Tech Campus.
- Familiarity with measuring tools used in a manufacturing environment including (but not limited to): ruler, dial caliper, micrometer, protractor, various gages.
15. From Screen to Steel - Are you curious about how machines turn blocks of metal or plastic into real-world parts? Do you enjoy solving problems, using technology, or just trying something new? In this beginner-friendly challenge, students will learn the basics of CNC (Computer Numerical Control) programming and tackle simple coding challenges in a fun, hands-on environment. No prior CNC experience is required.
Advanced Prep/Required to bring: Students will need to complete and submit a required activity prior to coming to Ivy Tech.
16. Metalworking Challenge - Students will put their hands-on skills to the test in this beginner-friendly competition. Students will be challenged to fabricate a small mechanical part out of metal using common workshop tools like hacksaws, files, drills, and taps.
Advanced Prep/Required to bring: Students should be familiar with common tools and will need to complete and submit a required safety activity prior to coming to Ivy Tech.
17. HVAC Competition - Teams will use technical documents to connect wires to an HVAC trainer that includes air conditioner and furnace controls. Before starting, all teams will get instructions on how to set up and use the system. During the contest, teams will make sure the system works correctly and show how it operates to the judges. They’ll also keep track of any problems or challenges they face and explain how they solved them during the final evaluation. The team with the best and most accurate system setup will be named the winner.
Advanced Prep/Required to bring: Teams should come to the contest with a basic understanding of thermostat wiring and how it works, common electrical parts, line-voltage wiring, how to read wiring diagrams, and basic electrical troubleshooting. At the start of the contest, teams will need to show proof that they’ve completed assigned training on these topics before competing.
18. Welding Competition - Teams will tack and weld out a weldment using metal provided using GMAW short circuit and SMAW E7018. The team that has the most Accuracy, strength, appearance, and technique will be the winner.
Advanced Prep/Required to bring: Teams must have prior knowledge of hands-on welding using GMAW short circuit and SMAW using E7018 3/32”. Bring PPE for welding.
19. Frankenstein's Laptop - In the spirit of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, this electrifying technical challenge dares students to play the role of modern-day Dr. Frankensteins—only instead of reanimating flesh, they’ll resurrect a machine.
- Participants will be handed three "deceased" laptops—each with a different set of missing or malfunctioning components. Their mission: dissect, diagnose, and salvage. By identifying which parts are still viable and which are beyond repair, students must cobble together a single, fully functional laptop using the remains.
- This isn’t just about hardware—it’s about ingenuity, precision, and a spark of creative madness. Success demands not only technical skill but the ability to see potential where others see scrap.
- Can you create life from the remnants of the obsolete? Or will your creature remain lifeless on the table? Join us in the lab—lightning (and Wi-Fi) willing, your monster may just rise.
Advanced Prep/Required to bring: Nothing; however, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with laptop components and assembly. You will be able to use Google and YouTube during the competition.
20. Escape Room Challenge - Students will step into the role of a power station crew during a simulated shutdown emergency. Teams must work together to solve a series of interactive puzzles—ranging from logic riddles to hidden messages to assembling physical clues—all under a specified time limit.
- Challenges are designed to test reasoning, teamwork, and communication, not technical knowledge.
- The team that escapes the room the fastest (or solves the most puzzles in the time allowed) wins the competition!
Advanced Prep/Required to bring: nothing
21. Quiz Bowl - Students from each school will face off in a Jeopardy-style quiz competition featuring questions from topics such as engineering, agriculture, HVAC, welding, robotics, machining, industrial maintenance, automotive, and general knowledge.
- The first round in the morning will follow a double elimination format, meaning teams must lose twice before they’re out. After lunch, the remaining teams will compete.
- The winning team will take home the COB and COG traveling trophy!
Advanced Prep/Required to Bring: nothing
-