This spring, Introduction to Engineering Design students at MVTHS completed one of the program's most demanding project challenges: designing and building a fully functional desk lamp from scratch. Students worked within real design constraints, integrating a provided lamp socket and cord, incorporating pre-cut poplar stock, and fabricating custom components using the school's 3D printers, laser cutter, and shop tools. Every student documented their process in a full engineering notebook covering problem definition, concept generation, CAD modeling, and post-build evaluation.
The 7th Annual Lamp Design Competition concluded with a staff showcase. Fifty-two MVTHS staff members cast votes across two categories: Fit and Finish, evaluating how professionally students integrated the hardware, and Aesthetics and Creativity, evaluating overall visual design. Engineering notebooks were scored separately by the course instructor. That level of staff participation is not taken for granted, and it made this year's event genuinely meaningful for the students involved.
When the final tallies came in, the top of the standings was razor-close. LilithJo Dickneite's "Starry Night" lamp claimed first place overall, edging out Abel Nelson's modern layered lamp by a single vote. That margin speaks for itself. Leandra McDaniel's firefighter-themed lamp rounded out the top three. Dickneite also swept Aesthetics and Engineering Notebook, while Nelson took the top spot in Fit and Finish.
Congratulations to all students who competed. Creating an integrated CAD assembly, watching it come to life, and taking it home forever is something they should all be proud of.
You can see them all by clicking here.
(Opens a YouTube link.)