How to challenge and engage a potential future Mech E

So... eldest son of the family I've been hanging out with recently is 14, smart as a whip, smart-mouthed, and could use some challenges to keep him engaged/motivated with his studies.

Kid is one of those who "just gets" how things go together, or he takes them apart until he understands. I'm a computer geek who likes mechanical things: I don't think he's going to be too interested in the algorithms and stuff that are the building blocks of a decent programmer. I think there's potential there for him to be really engaged by building things, designing things, keeping it mechanical and "real".

How would you use a Grassroots budget to challenge a mechanical-minded kid in a way that gets them excited about math, science, and things other than shooting zombies or playing Minecraft?

Dirt bike and service manual for said bike. As a dad that means you get to drive him somewhere to ride, but there's nothing quite like problem solving on something that makes noise and goes fast. Two stroke 125's that need work are pretty cheap and parts are readily available.

$2014 comes to mind, seems perfectly suited IMHO

2nd for the $20xx Challenge. Make sure to give him opportunities to lead, manage the budget, research parts, etc. That should bolster his "mech" skills with some real world problem solving.

FIRST robotics.

First, he has to be interested. Everyone is different and this can be a challenge, especially if he doesn't have a driver's lisence or permit. I would take him for a ride along at an autocross or preferably an HPDE. Alternatively, he may not be interested in cars (yet) and something else will interest him.

I've learned a lot through first robotics where I got started with my technical skills. Combined with reading GRM, I was comfortable enough to start working on cars when I bought my own. Compared to robotics, I find cars much more interesting and complex but I am glad I started with robots. That being said, if I had the oppurtunity to mentor with someone who knew how to work on cars I certainly would have done that to. Bear in mind that First Robotics participants are also eligible for some generous scholarships.

Based on my experience, it can also come down to the parents. Will they let him autocross? Work on cars? Work on cars in their driveway? Support him financially? How much? Let him get a job? I've found that persuasiveness plays a key role in the parents' descions in these areas and it helps if the parents are generally open to new ideas.

When he gets his learner's permit have him take the TireRack Street Survival or the DriveSafer course, especially if his parents are safety conscious.

Buy an engine. Tell him you will help him rebuild it. Tear it down and then walk in to the house from the garage and tell your wife, "well he's beyond my skill now." Then don't help again.

Thats what my dad did. I made that motor run again, not well, but I did it.

In reply to Mmadness: Consider Challenge car project as a series of mechanical problems to overcome, the driving is almost incidental.

FIRST FRC is a wonderful program once he gets to high school. Sounds like he's already way ahead of the game on the practical side of things, looking at something and just knowing how it works, like I was. So make him load up on math classes. He needs to come out of HS with decent grades through, and preferably beyond pre calc. Calc 1 as dual enrollment at a local CC would be great. Otherwise he'll be really screwed. Progressing through a engineering program if you mess up the calc series is very difficult, and you're expected to place into calc 1 right off the bat. I know, I'm there right now, nobody told me.

Oooh, FIRST robotics looks like just the ticket. There's even an active team nearby that might work with his HS.

I'd love to do a challenge build, but given I don't even have room for my project car out here, my crazy work hours, and that I'm just a family friend, not a parent, I think that's a bit out of scope for now...

The kid has the smarts, no doubt. I think he's just bored/not engaged by his school work. I've been there, done that. Finding a motivation to apply himself to those math classes, to see the value in pre-Calc, etc, would do a lot of good.