TEAMS FROM FLA, GA, SC AND NC TO PARTICIPATE IN SIXTH YEAR OF COLLEGE’S GOOGLE-SPONSORED TREBUCHET COMPETITION

Eggs are flying through the air at Ft. Johnson Middle School where students studying physics are working to test and perfect the trebuchet they will use in the sixth Storm The Citadel Trebuchet Competition. The event, which has been sponsored by Google since its inception, is designed to encourage school-aged children to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. Registration for the popular competition is underway and will continue until Dec. 15.

Fort Johnson Middle School was among the record number of K-12 competitors in the event at The Citadel last February. The team has already designed and built their version of the medieval-style launching devices and now their teacher is incorporating the physics involved with launching eggs and other objects, into their lessons as they prepare for the 2016 competition which will be held Feb. 13.

Teams from Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina have already signed up to join the more than 3,000 people from elementary, middle, and high schools, colleges, professional clubs and STEM-related businesses, who will come to the iconic Charleston campus to compete, mentor students, or to cheer on a team.

Ft. Johnson Middle School trebuchet testing

Competitors spend weeks designing, building and testing their trebuchets. On competition day they will launch balls and other objects hundreds of feet to see whose device is the most powerful and the most accurate. The size of the trebuchet is determined by the team’s division. There are three: Hoplite (K-5), Centurion (6-12), Centurion COM (college, organizations, military) and Barbarian (professionals/invitation only).

All K-12 teams can apply for funds to help with team expenses. They can also request a mentor, coordinated through the college, many of whom are Lowcountry professionals from Google and other companies with a STEM- related focus.

New Boeing partnership

In addition to providing mentors for the student trebuchet teams, the Boeing Trebuchet Society of South Carolina will hold an all-day trebuchet group-coaching session in January. Registered teams wishing to participate in this free event should email rewing@citadele.edu. The date and location will be provided to team leaders and a virtual option will also be available.

To register for the Storm The Citadel 2016 Trebuchet Competition, apply for funds, or request a mentor, please email rewing@citadel.edu, or call (843) 953-7118.

E-Week gets new name and new event

The trebuchet competition is just one part of a week of events hosted by The Citadel School of Engineering to support STEM education. The school started E-Week in 2000, and after 16 years is transitioning the name to Storm The Citadel (formerly only used for the trebuchet competition).

Other Storm The Citadel 2016 events include:

• Bridge Competition
• Robotics Competition
• Water Bottle Rocket Competition *NEW* - middle and high school teams will work in their classrooms to design compressed air water bottle launchers and rockets, and will then use them on competition day to see which rockets travel furthest down the field.
• Engineering design day with Girl Scout troops (invitation only)
• Citadel School of Engineering and Charleston Engineers Joint Council sponsor Lowcountry Engineering Awards Banquet

School of Engineering banquet and awards

The School of Engineering co-hosts the Lowcountry Engineering Awards Banquet with The Charleston Engineers Joint Council. It is held in conjunction with Storm The Citadel week. It is attended by Citadel cadets, students, Junior ROTC high school students, teachers, faculty and Lowcountry engineering professionals. A keynote speaker will address contemporary engineering current engineering feats and the industry’s needs for the future, and student projects will be on display.

The dinner will take place at 5:30 p.m., Feb. 16, 2016, at the Holliday Alumni Center. It is open to the public, but all participants must purchase tickets by Feb. 5. Tickets and go on sale in December on the Charleston Engineering Joint Council website and the cost will be announced at that time.

To register for any Storm The Citadel 2016 events, please visit the website, or email rewing@citadel.edu.

WATCH A VIDEO FROM STORM THE CITADEL 2015 HERE