THEMES AND PROBLEMS

Theme: Musical Instrument

Design Brief:  Water Collection in Kenya

Family Overview: Maya and her family live in a rural village in Kenya. The family consists of Maya (the mother), her husband, and three children. They live in a small, single-story dwelling home made from mud bricks, with a thatched roof. The house has two bedrooms, a living room, and a small kitchen. The family has limited access to running water, and the only available water source is a small, seasonal river a 30-minute walk away. During the dry season, this river often dries up, and Maya must buy water from a nearby vendor; this can be expensive and unreliable.

Challenge: Maya’s family needs a sustainable off-grid solution to collect and store water. The current system involves carrying water from the river during the rainy season and relying on expensive water deliveries during the dry season. Your task is to optimize the family’s water collection and storage system, using natural resources like rainwater and local materials. 

Requirements:

• The system must provide enough clean water for the family’s daily needs, including drinking, cooking, and bathing.
• The system should make use of rainwater harvesting to reduce reliance on external water sources.
• The water storage system must be designed to handle both the rainy season and the dry season.
• The system should include a basic filtration solution to ensure the water is safe for drinking.
• The design must be cost-effective and use local materials when possible. 

Budget: Your team has a budget of $1,500 to develop and implement the water collection and storage system. This budget must cover materials for rainwater collection, filtration, storage tanks, and installation.

2026 National Conference Theme: “Unity Through Community”

Theme: Your TSA chapter is hosting a family-friendly game night to raise funds to cover costs for attendance at upcoming conferences. The event will include board games, trivia rounds, and student-led challenges.

For the competition, participants must use the following information:

• Printable: Promotional graphic to be used for social media promotion of the event
• Wearable: Participant’s choice of a wearable design
• Digital Signage: Auto-advancing slides with event schedule and donation goals

Theme: Smart Cities: Technology in Urban Design

Design Brief: Community Story

Challenge: Develop a website that captures the essence of your local community and shares stories, history, or significant events that have shaped your community. The website should include an interactive element (e.g., timeline, map, etc.) that the user can interact with to understand the history or stories of your community. According to the official rules, do not include school or chapter name.