The National Day of Design Mission, Food Rescuers: STEM Innovations to Reduce Food Waste, provides an opportunity for students in grades K-12 to acquire deep understanding about a challenge that impacts their daily lives and their communities while using interdisciplinary skills in various sciences, English, technology, and the fundamentals of engineering to design a new invention that will reduce food waste in their school’s cafeteria.

The innovative design challenge encourages real-world critical thinking, communication, teamwork, and overall Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) skills while connecting students to a larger national movement – thousands of students across the country participated in 2017’s inaugural National Day of Design, and this year, over 20,000 students are anticipated to complete the Mission.