The cars are not likely to be introduced anytime soon as top-end lines by leading automobile manufacturers, unless Willy Wonka has suddenly bought out one of the companies.

But they do run, of a fashion, on wheels made from gingersnaps, striped shortbreads and sandwich crème cookies, on chassis constructed of graham crackers or lasagna noodles, fitted with Lifesaver or jelly bean axles and glued together with frosting and licorice whips.

Charlena Grimes, director of the minority and women engineering programs for the College of Engineering and Architecture, has a boxful of the cars on her desk. Students in this year’s edible car contests in March and October donated them; some still work. More than designing functioning cars, though, contest participants learned how fun and creative engineering can be.

Cill and Bob Richards, Mechanical and Materials Engineering, started the edible car competition in 1997 for their Merit class, a hands-on design course for incoming mechanical engineering freshmen. The contest was so popular with students that it was used in other classes and programs. Among those is MESA, the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement Program that assists elementary, junior and senior high students to become highly trained, technological professionals.

"After their visit to the engineering area, we want the students to go back to their schools, take the math and science so they can prepare themselves for a technical education," Grimes said.

In the contest, teams of 3-4 students are given a certain amount of edible or semi-edible materials. From these, team members have 1 1/2 hours to construct a working model car. The only nonfood tool allowed is a bamboo skewer. The finished cars are then raced against other teams to see which will go the farthest. Entries also are selected for appearance. Nibbling is encouraged in the process.

"They’re eating everything but the raw lasagna noodles," Grimes said with a laugh. "We really want them to use their minds. I do love to see the students have fun while they’re learning about design—a major part of an engineering education."

The edible car contest is not the only program that fosters interest in engineering, math and sciences. For 11 years, Grimes has organized and directed the BRIDGE Workshop for incoming women and minority students. The five-day event just before the start of WSU classes in August offers seminars on career planning, time management and teamwork; programs on computer usage; classroom sessions on chemistry and math placement; and campus tours. Grimes said more than 500 students have participated in BRIDGE since 1990.

In June 1999, Grimes created the Native Youth Exploring Engineering (NY’EE) Camp, a four-day summer camp for native high school students with an interest in learning more about engineering. Eight students and three teachers came from Medicine Wheel Academy in Spokane, Lakeside High School in Plummer, Idaho, and Lapwai High School in Lapwai, Idaho. Last summer in June, the second-annual camp drew 22 students and four teachers from four tribal schools.

But drawing minority students to study the sciences at WSU is only part of it. Grimes sees the positive atmosphere at WSU as the reason that they stay.

"WSU is such a wonderful place to be," she said. "What’s really great is seeing these students graduate."

Grimes feels strongly about creating a supportive network for all students because she herself was supported in the same way. She lists past mentors like the late S.L. Soo at the University of Illinois, where she learned drafting and which led to her employment at WSU in 1968. In the last few decades at WSU and through various job changes, other supporters emerged through her work with the College of Engineering and Architecture, like John Orsborn, Denny Davis, David McLean and the late Dick Crain. These individuals have made her work worthwhile and help her attend to students in the same way, she said.

When there’s someone who believes in you, you really feel like that’s half the battle."