Student ‘Engineers’ demonstrate math, science skills
By Diana Glaizer
UCDHSC Office of Marketing Communications
Challenging a group of middle school students to build a bridge might seem like an impossible task, however the eighth annual Math, Engineering, Science, Achievement (MESA) Day featured students doing just that. The statewide math and science competition was Friday, April 20, at the P.E. Events Center.
More than 500 middle school students from 28 Colorado schools spent months researching and designing balsa wood bridges, gliders and catapults to participate in the competition. The objective was to get students involved in activities designed to demonstrate and nurture math, engineering and technical skills. Students had the opportunity to learn why math, science and good communication skills relevant to their future.
The P.E. Events Center was dotted with stations full of young students eagerly expressing interest in the many challenges. The Amazing Body Race was an activity designed to stimulate the students’ minds by displaying a large picture of the inside of a human body and having a ball toss to recognize and remember the names that it landed on. “The Pharmacy” displayed various medications that students had to pick and chose to match the symptoms of an illness.
The Bridge Building Competition required students to build bridges out of Popsicle sticks. The bridge with the lightest weight that could support 25 pounds would be the winner. Fountain, Smiley and Rocky Top Middle schools were among the many in the competition.
The Tripilicity Competition had students working together in a team to build a three part structure that would support a limit of 300 pounds. The structure could be made out of paper glue, wood glue, paper and balsa wood. The lightest structure that supported the most weight would be the winner.
The most important competition was the Statewide Multi Task Trebuchet, a unique design of a catapult. The winners were three students from Huron Middle School, who will be attending the national competition in Baltimore, Md., this June.
"It is exciting to see all these students putting their creativity to work," says Gloria Nelson, executive director. Participation in the events has tripled over the past several years.
This year's event is co-sponsored by the University of Colorado Denver downtown Denver campus and the Coors' Hispanic Employees Network (CHEN), which will provide judges and more than 50 volunteers. Its members work throughout the community to enhance the efforts of Coors within the Hispanic community. The Coors Co. offers a list of volunteering opportunities on their Web site for their employees to sign up on throughout the year.
“I have seen great team work, pride and performance from these kids,” stated a CHEN volunteer Kevin Stansbury.
Many of the volunteers were from the maintenance area of the Coors Co. and volunteered because of their interest in seeing young engineers and their projects.
Andy Archuleta, another CHEN volunteer added, “These are great kids. It is exciting to watch them as they pause and think about what they are doing. The look on their face is intriguing.”
Photos: Top, students tried to make bonded strands of metal toobing into an Eiffel Tower, or at least to make them stand. Center, students made their gliders and tried their best to get theirs to traver farthest.