An Oklahoma team won the first-ever Construction Challenge held at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2008 trade show in Las Vegas, in March. Teams from Illinois, New Jersey, Ohio and Texas also took home top honors in the teen competition, which was initiated by the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

More than 50 student teams built pieces of “construction equipment,” debated other teams on infrastructure issues and created interactive educational products to help spread the word about construction careers and equipment.

First place went to a team from Perry High School in Perry, Okla.

The group’s teamwork during the Road Warrior challenge—with self-built “construction equipment”—impressed judges, competitors and on-lookers. Each team member won a $2,000 scholarship and a computer.

AEM, in partnership with Destination ImagiNation Inc., initiated the Construction Challenge specifically to engage the interest of teens in careers in the industry through a hands-on, educational experience.