Engineering Challenge - Rocket Challenge 2008
A team of six Year 9 students competed against the other secondary schools in North East Lincolnshire in the Engineering Challenge held at Hereford School. Liam Aisthorpe, Daniel James, Jacob McCann, Bethany Sharpe, Ross Tutty and Ben Webber organised themselves into three groups to complete all the tasks they had been set. Liam and Ben worked on the rocket design. Danny and Ross created a ‘space patch’ to put onto the rocket and also produced the electronics to operate the warning lights and the motor. Beth and Jacob built a launcher vehicle to carry the rocket to its destination. Students worked together in pairs on each of the tasks but also needed to work closely together as a team to ensure that all the parts were compatible. They received advice from a local engineer who was assigned to our team - Andy Graham, an ex-Healing student.
All teams launched their rockets out of the school hall and then demonstrated their engineering achievements in front of a full hall. Our launcher vehicle successfully climbed the full length of the ramp, carrying the rocket safely to its destination, with the warning lights operating perfectly.
Prizes were awarded in four categories – our team won two of these. The prize for ‘electronics’ – was awarded to Danny and Ross who achieved FULL marks available, and, Liam and Ben won the prize for their ‘rocket design’. The overall winner was the school with the most marks from all aspects of the competition. The rockets were judged on design, quality of manufacture and the distance that they travelled. The launcher vehicles were judged on fitness for purpose, design and quality of manufacture. Our Healing School Team were awarded trophies for taking third place in the competition overall, with Oasis Immingham being crowned champions.
Alongside the challenges that were set, the day allowed students to find out about employment opportunities within the field of engineering. All our students were a credit to themselves and the school – well done!
Mrs Watcham
15th December 2008