Paper Airplane Desgin & Flight Contest

Event Overview

Join us for a fun and educational activity where students will explore the basics of
aerodynamics by designing, building, and testing their own paper airplanes! Participants
will compete in two exciting categories:

• Longest Distance Flown
• Closest to Target (Accuracy)

Students will have the opportunity to tweak their designs after each flight, gaining hands-on
insights into the effects of lift, drag, thrust, and gravity.

Space Requirements:

• Open space (hallway or outdoor area) for flight zones.
• 2-3 tables for the building phase of the activity.

Supplies Needed:

• Standard letter-size paper (2-3 sheets per student).
• Tape: For reinforcing and customizing airplane designs.
• Scissors: To help shape the airplanes.
• Measuring Tape: (25-50 feet) to measure flight distances.
• Target Markers: Options include paper plates, hula hoops, or tape to mark targets.
• Scoreboard/Whiteboard: To track competition results.
• Pens/Markers: For labeling airplanes.
• Paper Airplane Templates: Basic templates available for younger students.

Volunteers:

Our NSBE team will assist students throughout the event. Responsibilities include helping
students fold planes, adjust designs, and monitor flights.

Volunteer Team:

• Jakayla Thomas: jthomas69@memphis.edu
• Jasmine Murphy: jnmrphy2@memphis.edu
• Lauren White: lkwhite1@memphis.edu
• Koby Lee: kslee1@memphis.edu
• David Hunt: dahunt@memphis.edu
• Sumiran Sharma: sshrma17@memphis.edu