Hosted by Newport News Shipbuilding on February 21-22, in partnership with NASA Langley and the Peninsula Engineers Council, 600 high school students over two days got first-hand exposure to world-class engineers and technologies in The Apprentice School gym.

NNS noise and vibration test engineer Mark Mosher used a guitar to demonstrate his testing process.

Students were exposed to many different disciplines, including coatings engineering.

NASA Langley's Education and Public Outreach Manager Chris Giersch spoke during the event, encouraging students to embrace the spirit of the explorer.

While looking through an iPad^®, students experienced what is called "augemented reality," where 3-D digital projections are overlayed onto something physical—in this case, an aircraft carrier flight operations Ouija board.

NNS electrical engineer Chris Bryans explained the inner workings of how he performs his job.

NASA engineer Mary Beth Wusk, who is the project manager for Hypersonic Inflatable Aerodynamics Decelerator (HAID), introduced students to the world of inflatable aerodynamics.

NNS engineering field technician specialist Marco Estrada explained how modeling and simulation can be used to help solve production challenges.

The event concluded with an Engineering Design Challenge, with half the room challenged to build boats out of duct tape within 45 minutes.

The other half were challenged to build Mars landing capsules out of styrofoam cups that would have the most drag for a soft landing.

The duct tape boat challenge was judged based on how much weight the boat could hold while floating.

The Mars landing capsule challenge was judged based on the rate of descent—the slower the better.

The winners of the duct tape boat challenge are joined by (left to right) NNS Engineer John Edwards, Huntington Ingalls Chief Human Resources Officer Bill Ermatinger and NNS Vice President, Quality and Process Excellence Ron Murray. John Edwards was honored as this year's Peninsula Engineers Council Young Engineer of the Year.