Schools test skills in technology contest

Nearly 136 students in 34 teams from 11 schools took part in the 16th Rotary Technology Tournament at St Aidan’s School.

Schools taking part in the event hosted by Rotary Clubs in Harrogate, Ripon, Knaresborough and Lower Wharfedale were - Ashville College, Boroughbridge High, Boston Spa, Harrogate Grammar, King James’s, Nidderdale High, Ripon Grammar, Outwood Academy Ripon, Rossett School, St Aidan’s High and St John Fisher High.

The students, working in teams of four in three age categories, were given a task and were supplied with basic materials such as card, wood sections, string fixings and elastic bands.

Students bought basic hand tools to use in the construction phase.

The task, which was secret until the day of the tournament, was to design, construct and test a Space Capsule Launcher.

It had to be capable of launching a space capsule, represented by an air golf ball, to a height of at least three metres. The additional complexity of the Task increased with the age of the students in the Team.

Tournament co-ordinator David Russell, said: “The challenge combines a number of skills in a fun way.

“As well as design/technology and making skills, the students have to call on innovation, team working, communication, problem solving, decision making, risk taking and creativity to achieve their goal.

“They also produce a written design and construction portfolio to show how they arrived at the finished model and finally demonstrate the working model to the Judges under test conditions. They are marked on all these criteria.”

The main comments from the Students were that the event had been challenging and they had enjoyed working under pressure as a Team, to produce a working model and a portfolio of supporting documents for their design. Teachers said that they thought that the day had been extremely successful and beneficial to the students taking part.

In each age group an award is given for the Best Portfolio and a Gold, Silver and Bronze award for the three teams which provide the best solutions to the task.

Results:

Best Portfolio - St John fisher (foundation and intermediate), Ripon Grammar (advanced).

Main Task Gold - Boston Spa B (foundation), Nidderdale High (intermediate), Harrogate Grammar (Advanced).

Main Task Silver - St John Fisher (foundation), Ripon Grammar (intermediate), Boroughbridge High (advanced).

Main Task Bronze - Boston Spa A (Foundation), St Aidans A (intermediate), King James’s (advanced).

Awards were presented by the Mayor of the Borough of Harrogate, Councillor Nick Brown, and Graham Buckton, representing one of the Sponsors, Claro Precision Engineering Ltd.

The event was sponsored by Claro Precision Engineering Ltd, Promax Access Ltd of Grimethorpe and the GSM Group of Wetherby.

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