just a thought, but has anyone tried hosting a team challenge ?!
maybe smaller groups of 3 so that people can gain experience not only on working towards a team effort, but group management and all that good stuff…
anyways, like i said, it’s just an idea…
modelling Mechas sounds good, modelling ourselves not so…last year i had to model myself for a uni module (apparently, we were supposed to be game characters from a sci fi film… we had been “digitised” and imported into a game, think Tron) and i thought it wasn’t very imaginative, because you have so much source material at hand, it’s hard to make yourself exciting, and anyone doing an exagerated version of themselves either ended up with a body like Arnie Schwarzenegger or in some sort of Sam Fisher getup…
good luck with what you finally decide upon 
G…
(or one before last?)
ya know just had to through in an idea…
or do I speak to soon?