Host Your Own Fluid Power Action Challenge In Your Community

Programs like the Fluid Power Action Challenge are made possible in part by the generous support of industry volunteers as well as NFPA Education and Technology Foundation and Pascal Society donors. Support these efforts by making a donation.

NFPA’s Fluid Power Action Challenge attracts thousands of students across the US and Canada each year.  Teams of students get the opportunity to build fluid power mechanical kits using balsawood and syringes. By using the How It Works website, NFPA hopes to encourage educators and event planners to set up Fluid Power Action Challenges within their own communities.

The Fluid Power Action Challenge traditionally consists of two types of competitions: In-School and Community. The In-School Competition is a Fluid Power Action Challenge that takes place within the classroom, usually in a science or engineering class. The Community Competitions, tend to be larger, sponsored events, designed for those who wish to host teams from different schools competing against each other.

Students who participate in the Fluid Power Action Challenge actively engage in learning about fluid power. The program provides teachers with the support and resources they need for Science and Technology curriculum, promoting teamwork, engineering, and critical thinking by combining science and math. In the classroom or at a community event, students are evaluated based on a variety of factors, including impressive portfolios, best-designed devices, teamwork, and overall performance in the competition.

Every year, the Action Challenge Grant is offered by the NFPA to encourage fluid power education. It awards up to $500.00 to educators or community organizations to incorporate fluid power into their curriculums and programs each year. Educators can use the grant fund to purchase materials to start an in-school Fluid Power Action Challenge or use the grant fund to participate in a Community Fluid Power Action Challenge Competition, such as purchasing mechanical kits, transporting to and from the competition.

Our recently revamped How It Works webpage also offers educators and industry members step-by-step instruction on how to host your own event as well as marketing and promotional materials to encourage participation in your event. These customizable materials can be downloaded for free by educators and industry members. 

To learn more about how to host your own Fluid Power Action Challenge and about NFPA programs, watch our annual event organizers meeting.

Watch: Annual Event Organizers Meeting

If you are interested in participating, have questions about the Fluid Power Action Challenge, or have feedback on how we can improve user experience on our updated How It Work webpage, contact NFPA Workforce Program Manager Eric Pannell at epannell@nfpa.com or 414-778-3364.