^{Photo: Team members from Clarke County High School pose with the Widget Cup trophy. They have won the competition four years in a row.}

Clarke County High School Wins Annual Widget Cup® Competition

Teams from public high schools in Clarke County, Frederick County, and Winchester, Virginia, competed in the Frederick County Economic Development Authority's annual Widget Cup® competition on Thursday, April 10, at host, Handley High School. Each team constructed a prototype for an outdoor cart to be used at Freemont Street Nursery in Winchester, Virginia. 

^{Photo: Team members from Sherando High School thank Widget Cup sponsors and volunteers during their prototype presentation. While each team had to incorporate specific parameters, creativity by each team led to four unique prototypes at the end of the competition.}

Teams were tasked with designing, building, and presenting their prototype to the client within a six-hour window. Throughout the day, the teams were judged by industry professionals using an extensive rubric, including teamwork, leadership, and technical skill, among other qualities employers are seeking. 

The Widget Cup trophy, designed and manufactured by local metal fabricator Fabritek/Winchester Tool, is presented to the winning team. The trophy remains on display at the winner's school until the next year's event. 

Projects for client participants in past years include:

• Outdoor chair for use on the trails - Belle Grove Plantation
• Outdoor donation collection box - Henry & William Evans Home for Children
• Garden cart system - Adult Care Center of the Northern Shenandoah Valley
• Prop storage system - Winchester Little Theatre
• Gates for the Glen Burnie Gardens - Museum of the Shenandoah Valley
• Volunteer cubbies - Bright Futures Frederick County/Winchester
• Three-sided bookshelves with storage - Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
• Work benches - NW Works

Businesses see The Widget Cup as a positive investment in the local workforce and show their support of the event through monetary sponsorship, volunteering, and providing materials for the event. In addition to The Widget Cup competition, the EDA is engaged in several other regional partnership initiatives supporting the development and retention of the community's future workforce, including Worlds of Work hands on career exploration and onsite industry tours of local businesses.

Thank you to our 2025 Widget Cup event sponsors!

Product Delivery 

At the conclusion of the competition, teams return to their shops to put finishing touches on their projects before delivering the final products to the client later this spring.

About The Widget Cup Competition 

Established in 2015, the Frederick County EDA's regional Widget Cup® event is an annual competition for high school teams drawn from students attending public schools in Frederick County, Clarke County, and Winchester, Virginia. Participating students solve a real-life business problem for a local employer by using skills acquired through Career and Technical Education (CTE) and Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) courses. 

Learn more about The Widget Cup at www.TheWidgetCup.com