The Imagine Engineering Coloring Contest is a statewide, youth education program for second graders. It was established in 1999 and is sponsored by the Engineers Foundation of Ohio. This education program allows second grade teachers to schedule an in-class visit from a local member of the Ohio Society of Professional Engineers (OSPE) or to use a video in case of COVID concerns.

OSPE member volunteers then visit classrooms through the late fall and early winter to talk with the children about what engineers do for a living. The volunteer's presentation may also include:

• reading a classroom guidebook to the students,
• talking at a fundamental level about local engineering projects, and
• engaging the students in an engineering experiment using everyday items like notebook paper, drinking straws and cellophane tape.

At the end of the presentation, the OSPE volunteer distributes a small gift to each student and coloring contest materials.

A student may enter the coloring contest by drawing and coloring a picture of an engineer at work. Contest winners will be announced in mid-April. The students who submit the top three entries in the state will receive educational toys as prizes. In addition, OSPE chapters may choose to offer additional prizes for local winners.

OSPE volunteers present the Imagine Engineering program to approximately 7,500 students each winter. 

2ND Grade Educators:

• Call the Engineers Foundation of Ohio at 614-223-1177 to register your school/class.
• Then, download our Teacher's Kit for the current program season.

OSPE Chapter Volunteers:

Linked is the Chapter Kit for Imagine Engineering.  Please forward copies to all chapter volunteers who are scheduled to make in-class presentations. 

Contact EFO for the list of Registered Elementary Schools for the Imagine Engineering Coloring Contest.  These schools will expect an in-class presentation from your chapters.  Please touch base with the schools in your chapter area at your earliest possible convenience.  If you are prepared to schedule dates and times for the in-class presentations, please do so.  But at least acknowledge that they've registered and exchange contact information.  (Your volunteers can follow up with these teachers later to finalize dates and times for in-class presentations.)

Should your chapter run low on materials, you will need to contact OSPE via phone (614-223-1144) or via e-mail ( This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) to reorder entry forms and bookmarks.

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER: 

• In-class presentations run through February. 
• Return your chapter's top THREE entries to OSPE in mid-March.  Contact EFO for the current year's deadline. 
• Winners will be announced mid-April.

Please call us at 614-223-1177 with any questions.