The DIDI 500 competition brings together teams of students and engineers from local manufacturers who design, build, test, race and sell self-powered cars. Parents, teachers, guardians can sign up students who are in middle and high school. The event is free. At the DIDI 500 teams of four have 2.5 hours to get their car built and ready to race. The event starts at 9 a.m. and goes to 3 p.m. Participants are asked to arrive at 8:30 a.m. for setup at SUNY Fredoniaás Steele Hall.

Register at www.didiwny.com or contact Francine Rondenell, Dream It, Do It director at frondenell@didiwny.com.

Participating teams will be judged on design, teamwork, performance, and marketing. Awards will be given to the winners of the middle school and high school divisions. Students will receive a DIDI 500 tee shirt, a free lunch and the winners will receive prizes. Each division (Middle School and High School) will have a first, second and third place winner.

âIt is an honor for SUNY Fredonia to partner with Dream It Do It and host this worthwhile educational event,ã said Mike Metzger SUNY Fredonia vice president for finance and administration. âThis provides area students the opportunity to experience our beautiful campus.ã

Teams will be composed of four students for each division (MS and HS) preferably from the same school district. If a team has fewer than four students, they will be paired with another team with fewer than four students at the event. Each team will need a coach (teacher, parent, guardian, or volunteer). Schools may have several teams for each division.

Students must be accompanied by a parent, teacher, or guardian during the event, with no drop-offs. Students attending but not participating in the event must be accompanied by a parent, guardian, or teacher. Children who attend but are not part of the event must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The DIDI 500 is sponsored by Cummins, Blackstone, Bush Furniture/e-solutions, Chautauqua County Partnership for Economic Growth, County of Chautauqua Industrial Development Agency, Fancher Chair, Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier, Northern Chautauqua Community Foundation, PTECH WNY STEM College & Career Academy and Weber Knapp.

Dream It Do It is a talent pipeline initiative of the Manufacturers Association of the Southern Tier. Dream It Do It is a manufacturing career initiative whose mission is to increase the skilled workforce pipeline entering manufacturing careers.