North Hills Sweeps Pittsburgh Technical Institute's Concept Car Competition

The North Hills Senior High School Concept Design class swept the fourth annual Pittsburgh Technical Institute’s Concept Car Competition May 2 in Oakdale.

Senior Nate Heid won first place and $300 for his design of the 2017 Pontiac Mercurial. Senior Shane Donat earned $200 and second place for his Pontiac Apache. Third place and $150 went to junior John Witherel for his 2017 Plymouth Prowler. Sophomore Kaitlyn Wagner earned fourth place and $100 for her 2017 Mercury Drop. 

A total of 23 teams registered for the annual contest. North Hills has won the competition every year since its inception. 

Students were tasked with designing a vehicle that represents and reflects the vision of one of these brands: Plymouth, Pontiac, Saturn or Mercury.  The design must appeal to the consumer; it must be attractive, functional, efficient and affordable and it must be 90% recyclable and incorporate good environmental principles.

Each team was required to submit the following:

• Set of fully dimensioned 2D drawings showing both sides, top, front, and back views of the 2017 concept vehicle.
• A 3D computer generated, or physical scale model of the 2017 concept vehicle.
• A one-page, typed marketing plan describing the concept vehicle and to whom it will be marketed.
• A window sticker describing the concept vehicle's price, standard features, and options.
• A one-page typed Team Process describing the team's hurdles, major decision points, and accomplishments.
• A sample advertisement – either an 8.5" x 11" poster or a 30-second recorded radio spot highlighting the vehicle and its brand power.

Students presented their ideas to a panel of automotive and engineering experts. 

The North Hills student participants are enrolled in Concept Car Design, an elective within the high school’s technology education department. The one-credit course, which is taught by Mr. Jim Cassandro, is open to students in grades 9-12.  Engineering Drawing and Design 1 are prerequisites for the class.

The Concept Car Design course is an advanced Computer-Aided Drafting and Design class that allows students the opportunity to manufacture working prototypes of their designs and inventions. Students may work individually or in a group setting to research, design, create, market and eventually sell their products. Each student has the chance to enter various competitions throughout the course, such as the PTI "Build Your Dream Vehicle" contest.

The emphasis of the course is placed on conceptualizing, designing, and developing an automotive prototype design.

NORTH HILLS HIGH SCHOOL WINNERS:
1st Place- Nate Heid, Team Mercurial (12th grade)
2nd Place- Shane Donat, Team Apache (12th grade)
3rd Place- John Witherel, Plymouth Prowler (11th grade)
4th Place- Kaitlyn Wagner, Mercury Drop (10th grade)

LINKS:  
About the competition: http://www.pti.edu/concept_car.php
Link to event and competition entry photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ptiedu/sets/72157629957218107/?page=2