On Saturday, October 5th the School District of Manatee County hosted the Elementary Catapult Competition at Southeast High School.
There were 112 teams from 28 Manatee County schools participating.
Approximately 450 elementary students were supported by their STEM teachers as they built and tested catapults, made from a variety of materials that were a mystery to students until the morning of the event!
Teams used their knowledge of the Engineering Design Process, force and motion, elastic energy, friction and gravity to successfully launch their pompoms.
Students competed for awards in accuracy and distance.
The following teams won awards at the event:
Distance
1st – Harvey ES – The Killer Whales
2nd – Harvey ES – Flaming Archers
3rd – Palma Sola ES - Panthers
4th – Rowlett E. Academy - Skittles
5th – Witt ES – The Four Mouse-kateers
6th – Harvey ES – The Kind Sigma Sharks
Accuracy
1st – Sea Breeze ES – Tech-neers
2nd – Witt ES – Burrito Bunchers
3rd – Willis ES – The Bolts
4th – Mills ES - TechBots
5th – Gullett ES – Catapult Captains
6th – Palmetto ES – Brain Rots Kids
This event would not have been possible without the team effort of everyone who volunteered their time.
It was made possible using funds from the voter approved millage referendum.
Thank you to our STEM teachers, middle and high school student volunteers, parent and community volunteers, and other district staff who gave up part of their Saturday to act as judges, recorders, pompom collectors, hot glue gun operators, duct tape cutters, and student supervisors.
The Catapult Competition was the first of many STEM competitions that SDMC students will have the opportunity to participate in.
We look forward to the Science and Engineering Fair and VEX Robotics Competitions later in the school year.
This Good News story was provided by STEM Coordinator Lynne Johnston.
