You have 100 sheets of regular-weight copy paper and one roll of scotch tape. Can you create a tower that independently stands at least 60 inches tall and can bear the weight of six tennis balls?
Students at Rogers Adventist School (RAS) in College Place, Wash., can. In junior high science, students had time in class to construct their towers for a districtwide building competition. Then, during a special assembly, engineers from the nearby Walla Walla Army Corps of Engineers came to not only judge the student towers but also give tips and pointers on weight distribution, balance and more.
The winning team, not only of the RAS competition but also of the entire districtwide competition (beating out local-area high schools as well), was a team of seventh-graders: Owen Oetman, Naomi Cueto, Ben Busby, Mya Adams, Jordan Butcher and Kasi Irvine. While we’re certainly proud of their accomplishment, the best compliment came from Brigida I. Sanchez, one of the visiting engineers: “We toured many schools in the valley, but your students were by far the most respectful and polite.” Way to go RAS!
