While classroom instruction can and should still be used to teach students the fundamentals of engineering, the key to their ultimate success is learning to use that knowledge in a real-world setting. Out-of-class activities, like the American Society of Civil Engineers' (ASCE) National Concrete Canoe Competition, not only give students a hands-on opportunity to experiment with existing and emerging technologies, but they also teach project management and teamwork skills that cannot be acquired through event-based learning alone. Combining activities like these with more traditional learning methods is the first step toward attracting and educating the next generation of engineers.