This program was designed to provide grade points and hands on experience in auto sound installation, and a technical understanding about the sport of car audio and competition. All student teams were sponsored by their high school and were granted permission by principals to participate. Local retailers including, Freeman's Car Stereo, Car Audio Masters, and Crazy Ben‚s, in the Charlotte area committed their time, staff and vehicles to the project and sought students enrolled in wood shop, drafting, mathematics and electronics classes.

Criteria: Sub-compact style vehicles with hatchbacks were donated by the retailers to the schools. Fair market value of the vehicle could not exceed $5,000. All sponsoring car audio retailers provided technical assistance, guidance, a set of parameters to follow to students and a time frame in which they must create, design and build an auto sound system without intervention. All products must be from IASCA manufacturer members and were supplied by the retailer.

Judging: Vehicles were judged in three phases:

1. Sound Quality - Judged by official IASCA certified judges.

2. Installation - Judged by Installer Institute Representative.

3. SPL - Sound Pressure Level - Judged by IASCA Judges.

Sound Quality and Installation were judged according to the 2001-2002 IASCA Street Competition Rules. Teams received ordinal points for each phase (points based on their ranking for that particular phase.) The overall winner received the highest number of ordinal points after the three phases.

According to Tom Walker, president of IASCA, "The IASCA World Finals provides us a terrific venue to debut this program designed to attract the younger generation to the basics of auto sound installation and competition. We developed the program to work in conjunction with a schools curriculum to give a clearer understanding of how they can relate to what they are learning in class and how they can apply it to their future."

Participating retailers and their chosen schools were: Retail Sponsor: Car Audio Masters

South Mecklenburg High School Sabers

Retail Sponsor: Crazy Ben‚s

East Lincoln High School

Retail Sponsor: Freeman‚s Car Stereo

Independence High School

Myers Park High School

Northwest Cabarrus High School

Weaver Education Center

Fred T. Foard High School

Lincoln County School of Technology

Comments from Participating Teachers: Doug Pressley, Instructor, Automotive Dept, Independence High School:

"This competition helps to get students familiar with electronic theory and principles which we cover in out classroom. They get to install and set up the system, which teaches them to pay attention to detail. The use of creative ideas and competitive strategies is also excellent."

Randall Payne, Instructor, Automotive Technology, Weaver Education Center:

"This Challenge‚ provides an opportunity for an across the curriculum‚ experience involving non-related classes. The teachers agree that this Challenge has boosted morale, has provided a real world‚ experience and has been an excellent learning experience for all involved. Automotive Technology installed all the components; Construction Technology designed and built the speaker and amplifier boxes; Commercial photography took pictures; TV Production took video; English wrote about the project; Electronic Music checked the sound quality; Electronics checked connections and circuits; Computer Graphics designed school logo; and Collision Repair installed the graphics."

Link for more info: www.iasca.com