STEM students shine at inaugural G-Force Challenge
Gene Monteith |
Monday, February 21, 2011
The nylon ball wouldn't stay on track. Repeatedly, the team made adjustments to the intricate series of rails, clips and the PVC pipe holding it all up. The third time the ball popped off its initial turn the judge simply smiled and said "we'll catch you on our next time around."
Such were the trials and tribulations of some entries in this year's inaugural G-Force Challenge, a statewide roller coaster competition that brought students from three STEM schools to the Center of Science and Industry (COSI) in Columbus on Jan. 28.
While snags are bound to occur when transporting sensitive, four-by-five-foot contraptions over distance, most of the teams successfully tweaked their coasters, completed their runs and eagerly waited for the results.
In all, 125 students and 23 teams packed two large rooms with roller coasters and displays. STEM permeated the event, from the schools represented to the interdisciplinary nature of the challenge, as students drew on math, engineering and language arts skills as well as an understanding of the human elements of roller coasters and theme parks.
The competition showcased the skills of some of Ohio's most creative STEM students. Kids from Metro Early College High School (Metro) in Columbus, Reynoldsburg eSTEM Academy in Reynoldsburg and the National Inventors Hall of Fame School . . . Center for STEM Learning in Akron, were all on hand to demonstrate their technical expertise in building roller coasters to spec and predicting velocity and g-force.
If they weren't showing off their loops, turns and bunny hills, most students were using marketing or theme park design presentations to impress judges with their understanding of the people factor.
The event was based on an event held each year by first-year students in the Ohio State University College of Engineering, and Program Director John Merrill was on hand to see how things turned out.
"When you think of the challenges of engineering and what that's going to mean for the 21st century, from infrastructure to healthcare, to medicine, we need (capable) students," says Merrill. He says getting students involved in projects like G-Force is crucial to whetting their engineering appetites.
Another roller coaster celebrity of sorts was also on hand: Jeffrey W. Gramke, manager of facilities, engineering and construction at Cincinnati's Kings Island.
Gramke's claim to fame is as a designer of The Beast, which Ultimate Rollercoaster calls "arguably the greatest roller coaster ever built."
One of the fastest coasters in the world and the world's longest wooden roller coaster at more than 7,000 feet, The Beast has been scaring the stuffing out of Kings Island riders since 1979.
Gramke, who judges the OSU competition each year and served as emcee for the G-Force Challenge, says Kings Island's interest is science.
"While there's some benefit to Kings Island in getting our name out there, mainly it's important to keep kids interested in science. Our nation has fallen further behind."
While they were too young to participate in the competition, one group of Linden-area elementary pupils got a first-hand look at what they can aspire to when they someday enter Linden-McKinley STEM Academy.
These fifth- and sixth-graders from Linden Elementary School participated as junior judges and on-site team helpers. While this younger set handed out schedules with gusto, they seemed most enthralled by the roller coasters themselves.
"Can I try?" one boy asked Erin Lauer, a 9th grader at Metro who helped him stand on a chair and drop the ball onto the spiraling "Fall to Earth." Eyes widened and several other boys took their turns, no doubt wishing they, too, were in the competition.
The event was sponsored by the Central Ohio Hub of the Ohio STEM Learning Network in partnership with COSI, the Theme Park Engineering Group, Coaster Dynamix, Kings Island, the Ohio Business Development Coalition, the Educational Council, the OSU College of Engineering Education Innovation Center, the Ohio Department of Education, the Ohio Board of Regents and the Metro Early College High School. The PAST Foundation planned and organized the event.
All have an interest in promoting the critical thinking skills and cross-curricular approach that competing in something like the G-Force Challenge requires.
The obvious question is this: Will competitions like the one on Jan. 28 propel young, bright Ohioans into careers designing roller coasters? Gramke says no.
"Only a handful of people are designing roller coasters in this country," he says. "More people have walked on the moon."
But no worries. Gramke says there will be plenty of other opportunities for students to use STEM skills associated with the G-Force Challenge in real world applications.
Winners, by category are listed below:
Test Cycles
1st: Twisted F8, Reynoldsburg eSTEM Academy
2nd: The Beatles, Metro Early College High School
3rd: Event Horizon, eSTEM
Hon. Mention: Crazy Fabulous, eSTEM
Junior Judges' Best of Show Award
The Invaders, Metro
Theme Parks and the Human Element
1st: Team Fauna, eSTEM
2nd: Team TK(3), eSTEM
3rd: Team Fabulous, eSTEM
Hon. Mention: Team Moodle, eSTEM
Theme Parks and the Human Element, JV:
1st: Tech Tigers, National Inventors Hall of Fame School
2nd: Powder Puff Girls, National Inventor's Hall of Fame School
Marketing:
1st: The Beatles, Metro
2nd: Team Laughter, Metro
3rd: The Metroids, Metro
Hon. Mention: Cash Money, Metro
Roller Coaster Design Posters:
1st: Team Laughter, Metro
2nd: Cash Money, Metro
3rd: Intense Babies, Metro
Hon. Mention: The Beatles, Metro