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Participants work together in teams of two to five members to develop solutions in one of four categories: Aerospace & Aviation, Energy & Environment, Cyber Technology & Security, and Health & Nutrition. The culmination of the annual Conrad Challenge – the Innovation Summit – will be held at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida.

“As we enter our 10th year of the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge, we continue our belief in supporting the development of innovative thinkers and a future workforce capable of tackling the global challenges of the 21st century,” said Nancy Conrad, chairman of the Conrad Foundation. “I am thrilled to announce our permanent home at the Kennedy Space Center, the site where my late husband Apollo 12 Commander Pete Conrad launched on all four of his missions into space. Thanks to our partners NASA Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex for making this our home. I cannot think of a more appropriate place to showcase innovation and entrepreneurialism than America’s multi-user spaceport.”

Government and corporate partners are critical to the Conrad Challenge and the U.S. Navy is the first to commit to the 2015-2016 competition to enable this year’s student teams to drive innovation in consumer, commercial and industrial applications.

“The Navy is excited to partner with the Conrad Foundation for the 2015-2016 Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge,” said Rear Adm. Jeff Hughes, commander, Navy Recruiting Command. “There is a long-standing historic connection between the Navy and America’s space program, best exemplified by the all-Navy crew of Apollo 12, led by the foundation’s namesake, Charles ‘Pete’ Conrad. There is close alignment between the focus of our respective organizations – reaching and inspiring youth; encouraging STEM studies and careers; outreach to often under-represented diverse and female students; and dedication to the principles of ambition, hard work, teamwork and creativity.”

Corporate partner Delaware North also stepped up to provide leadership and management of the annual competition to ensure an out-of-this-world experience for young innovators.

“Our commitment to the Conrad Challenge makes perfect sense as we inspire young minds each and every day at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex,” said Therrin Protze, chief operating officer. “With guests from around the world visiting us each year, we are proud to grow our footprint in quality education outreach by solidifying our long-term relationship with the Conrad Foundation to design, grow and implement the annual Conrad Challenge.”

The Conrad Challenge champions collaboration and teamwork with student teams working together, looking to their coaches and mentors from government, academic and commercial organizations to assist with their research, planning and prototyping phases.

Teams have the opportunity to progress though three rounds of online submissions in the fall, winter and spring. The second and third rounds are independently judged and selected teams are invited to streamline their concepts. The teams with the highest-scoring submissions will be invited to the experiential Innovation Summit held at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in April 2016 as Conrad Diplomats.

• Entry Round – Teams submit their “Investor Pitch,” a brief written abstract and a short video about their concept to explain its viability to solve a real-world problem in one of the Challenge categories. All teams that submit a complete Investor Pitch are invited to advance to the Semi-Final round. The entry round ends on Dec. 1, 2015, when Semi-Finalists are named.
• Semi-Final Round/Part 1 – In the Semi-Final Round/Part 1, selected teams are invited to further build-out their concept in an “Innovation Portfolio” via the Project Lead The Way Innovation Portal, which uses an embedded Engineering Design Process Portfolio Scoring Rubric (EDPPSR). Top-scoring teams from this Round are invited to attend the Innovation Summit as Conrad Diplomats and to complete Part 2 of the Semi-Final Round. The deadline for students to submit Part 1 of their Innovation Portfolios is Jan. 19, 2016.
• Semi-Final Round/Part 2 – In the Semi-Final Round/Part 2, the top teams are invited to complete additional elements of their Innovation Portfolio for the potential to be named Pete Conrad Scholars at the Innovation Summit. Summit teams are selected and the deadline for students to submit Part 2 of their Innovation portfolios is Feb. 22, 2016.
• 2016 Innovation Summit – Hosted at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida on April 20-24, 2016, the Innovation Summit showcases the Conrad Diplomat teams, as they present their innovations live to a panel of expert judges. The best teams in each category are selected and teams with the highest scores throughout the competition are named Pete Conrad Scholars at the prestigious closing ceremony.

Registration for the 2015-2016 Spirit of Innovation Challenge closes at 5:00 p.m. EST on Oct. 19. A nominal registration fee of $95 (U.S.) per team is required to defray administrative costs.

About the Conrad Challenge and Conrad Foundation
The Conrad Challenge celebrates the life and entrepreneurial spirit of the late astronaut Pete Conrad, the third man to walk on the Moon. Capt. Conrad, a former U.S. Navy officer and aviator, had an entrepreneurial drive and thirst for knowledge that is shared by students making groundbreaking discoveries today. The Conrad Challenge seeks to identify these students by giving them the opportunity to display their concepts and inventions on a world stage.

The Conrad Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to transformative education practices, where students use their imagination and innovation to enrich their classroom studies by adding context to content. Engaging teams of high school students from 50 states and 72 countries, the Conrad Foundation uniquely combines education, innovation and entrepreneurship to inspire solutions for achieving global sustainability. For more information, visit ConradChallenge.org.

About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex brings to life the epic story of the U.S. space program, offering a full day or more of fun and educational activities, including the Kennedy Space Center Tour featuring the Apollo/Saturn V Center with an actual Saturn V moon rocket, the new Space Shuttle Atlantis (SM), Shuttle Launch Experience®, IMAX® Hubble 3D and Journey To Space films, Astronaut Encounter, Journey to Mars: Explorers Wanted, Rocket Garden and many other interactive exhibits. Admission also includes the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, featuring historic spacecraft and the world’s largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia, which opens daily at noon and closing times vary by season. Only 45 minutes from Orlando, Fla., Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens daily at 9 a.m. with closing times varying by season. Admission is $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax for children ages 3-11. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex offers multiday admission starting at $75 + tax for adults and $60 + tax for children ages 3-11. For more information, call 877-313-2610 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com.

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About Delaware North
Delaware North is one of the largest privately-held hospitality and food service companies in the world. Founded in 1915 and owned by the Jacobs family for 100 years, Delaware North has global operations at high-profile places such as sports and entertainment venues, national and state parks, destination resorts and restaurants, airports, and regional casinos. Our 60,000 employee associates are dedicated to creating special experiences one guest at a time in serving more than a half-billion guests annually. Delaware North has annual revenue of $3 billion in the sports, travel hospitality, restaurants and catering, parks, resorts, gaming, and specialty retail industries. “Delaware North” is a reference to Delaware North Companies Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries, including location-specific operating entities. Learn more about Delaware North, a global leader in hospitality and food service, at www.DelawareNorth.com.

Contact: 
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex
Andrea Farmer
Public Relations Manager
321-449-4318