01/11/2026
We asked 2025’s Grand Prize Winner of the High School Manufacturing Challenge, Dorian Todd, what last year’s challenge meant to him, as well as what he’s been up to. Here’s what he had to say:
“I am currently pursuing a degree in Mechanical Engineering at San Jose State University. I have also been developing open-source, low-cost walking robotics project that I plan to release soon.
Winning the SVMA challenge for me was a reflection of my growth as a student engineer and designer. One of the biggest goals for this project was polish without perfection. Projects can often fall into a design loop focused solely on optimization, which sometimes comes at the expense of functionality. However, for this project, I aimed to strike a balance between design considerations, achieving a polished look, and ensuring functionality. Winning the challenge proved that I had found the right balance. It gave me a solid foundation to keep learning and improving my skills.”
If you would like to sponsor the 2026 High School Manufacturing Challenge, and help other individuals like Dorian shape the future of manufacturing, find more info here: www.sacvalleymfg.org