Seventh-graders at Parkway Central Middle School got a taste of what it takes to bring a new line of toys into the marketplace.

Students in math, science and unified studies classes had eight weeks to research and build the new toys. They did everything but make the gears, wheels and electric motors to power their inventions. An engineering group supplied them.

First, the kids asked other kids and parents what sort of toys they liked and bought. Then, they made up a longer marketing survey and interviewed 500 other kids on specifics, such as toy color and speed.

Then, the Parkway kids divided into teams to build their own motorized toy models.

Finally, teams showed about 20 toy models to adult engineers from Mallinckrodt and Boeing corporations. Engineers rated the toys on how well they met project objectives.

One of the winning designs was by the team of 13-year-olds Jared Kohn, Malcolm DeBaun and Brian Schlansky. They called themselves JMB Toys.

Their winning entry was "Dash the Dalmatian," a motorized dog with a silver and blue coloring.

When reminded that Dalmatian dogs were colored black and white, DeBaun said, "We wanted our Dalmatian to stand out."

Kohn added, "Kids told us in the marketing survey they liked the colors silver and blue."

The survey also said kids liked fast toys rather than powerful, but slower, ones that climbed hills. Climbing toys had to sacrifice speed to get power to climb.

Schlansky said, "In the kids' survey, there was a big difference in interest in speed over power."

The design program was created by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE). Science teacher Debra Bruce said, "The SAE designed the special curriculum to give students an idea of what engineering is all about."

The study asked kids to design a new generation of motorized toys that would appeal to both boys and girls ages 6 to 10. The new toys didn't have to look like cars or trucks.

Parkway's marketing survey indicated kids liked toys that looked like animals. That's where the idea for "Dash the Dalmatian" came from.

The Stardust design team was made up of seventh-graders Esther Schweig, Katie Wendt and Scott Friedman. They decided on a toy in the shape of a dolphin. They named it "Echo 2006," after the sounds dolphins make when they're talking underwater.

Friedman admitted the team could have made their design more dolphin-like. He said, "Some thought ours looked more like a whale."

The "Echo 2006" toy also went for speed, rather than power. The job specs said speed toys had to be able to go at least three meters in three seconds.

That meant the kids had to use the right gears and wheels. It also meant they had to make sure the design was as light as possible.

For "Dash the Dalmatian," the kids used an empty Velveeta cheese box. It fit just right over the frame that held the engine, gears and wheels.

DeBaun said, "Our engine placement was unique. We made it so the engine could be moved closer or farther away from the gears. That way, you can vary the speed."

Esther Schweig of the Stardust team said she enjoyed working in a team on the project. "I liked it a lot better than if I would have worked solo," she said.

Her teammate Katie Wendt said, "I also learned that if something didn't work the first time, you can't just quit. You have to keep readjusting things."

Scott Friedman said he liked making the presentation of the finished model to the adult engineers. "We got a chance to make people think that our design was best," he said.

Jared Kohn said he liked the idea of working on a project "that was related to the real world." He also liked the creating of a new product. But, he wasn't sure he'd like doing that all his life. "I might get bored creating things all the time," he said.

Malcolm DeBaun liked the idea of lots of classes cooperating together on a big project. But, he said, "I don't want to be an engineer. I think I want to be a doctor like my dad."