Year 9 pupils rise to the technology challenge

BRIDGES made of straws and catapults from wood and elastic were some of the challenges facing Year 9 pupils at the annual schools’ technology challenge.

The island’s professional engineers set Year 9 students a number of technology challenges yesterday, including building a precision catapult using only the limited materials supplied. Left to right, Darius Larkins, Flynn Jones, George Le Roux, adviser Mark de Carteret, Eowyn Falla, Alfie Heap and Emillia Ozanne. (Pictures by Cassidy Jones, 29681977)

The day-long event was held at the Scout Association headquarters and had pupils from a number of high schools designing and constructing together.

An icebreaker challenge was to assemble a structurally sound bridge from drinking straws and string, and the winning design successfully held 7.2kg.

The main challenge was to construct a catapult with timber and tools provided and which could accurately fire tennis balls at long-range targets.

St Sampson’s High School teacher Sally Wenlock said the day had engaged students who had the extra challenge of working with pupils from other schools to produce high quality end products.

‘It has been absolutely fabulous,’ she said. ‘At the beginning of the day you could see them barely talking to each other but they got into the team spirit as the day’s gone on.’

Eowyn Falla, 14, said she had attended the recent International Women in Engineering Day at the College of Further Education and, although her team’s catapult did not function as well as she would have liked, she was happy to be there.

‘It was good and interesting to see what the team wanted to do, and how others thought.’

With Wimbledon starting next week, firing tennis balls from a catapult they built was an apt challenge for Year 9 pupils, including this team of, left to right, George Le Roux, Flynn Jones and Darius Larkin. (29681973)

She added that she would like to be an architect and had learned a lot from the day.

Flynn Jones, 14, said he had enjoyed the competition, particularly the bridge design.

Engineering was a passion of his and a possible future career, as he had recently chosen a GCSE in construction.

. The Channel Island Group of Professional Engineers organised the event, which was sponsored by the Garenne Group.