High School Students Compete in Distance Challenge
Six teams from three high schools competed in Moraine Park’s annual Distance Challenge on May 16. The event was hosted by the Process Engineering Technology and Mechanical Design programs. The Distance Challenge is a competition where high school students build a device of 30 lbs or less to hurl or throw a rubber ball.
The three schools that entered teams this year were North Fond du Lac High School, Elkhart Lake – Glenbeulah High School, and GPS Education Partners, a charter school in Jackson. There were six total entrants, five in the “Slingshot” division, and one in the “Other” division, a Catapult.
Elkhart Lake – Glenbeulah’s “Bessie” took first place with a throw of 294 feet, the furthest a device has thrown in the six years of the competition. North Fond du Lac’s “Angry Oriole” took second place with a throw of 249 feet. Elkhart Lake – Glenbeulah’s “Shiny Shooter”, a catapult, had the third-longest distance with a throw of 125 feet.
Afterwards, students saw Moraine Park’s Automated Workcell in action and while having lunch, heard from Jeno Thuecks, General Manager from Marchant Schmidt and Moraine Park graduate.
For information on entering a team in next year’s competition, e-mail Tom Roehl, Process Engineering Technology Instructor at Moraine Park, at troehl@morainepark.edu.
If you’re interested in learning more about the Process Engineering Technology program or Mechanical Design Program at Moraine Park Technical College, visit this page or call 920-924-3207 today and ask for Admissions.
North Fond du Lac’s “Angry Oriole”
Elkhart Lake – Glenbeulah’s “Bessie”
Elkhart Lake – Glenbeulah’s “Shiny Shooter”
Top photo is of GPS Education Partners.
