West Norfolk students get creative for technology tournaments
Students across West Norfolk have put their creative skills to the test for Downham Market Rotary Club’s technology tournaments.
Both primary and secondary school pupils have taken part this year for the first time, as the club also held a junior contest at Upwell Academy.
On Thursday last week, the club held its annual senior technology tournament at Downham Town Hall with more than 50 students from Downham Market Academy, Iceni Academy in Methwold, St Clement’s High School in Terrington St Clement and Wisbech Grammar School.
The students were tasked with designing and building a mobile railway crane to lift a canister of ‘nuclear waste’ from its derailed railwagon and place it safely on the track.
Teams of four were supplied with equipment to make a small electric motor and given access to various tools. They had four hours to design and construct the crane.
At the end of the time, the machines were put to the test.
This year’s tournament, sponsored by SKF Cooper and supported by RAF Marham, was won by St Clement’s with Wisbech Grammar School the runners-up in the foundation group, and the intermediate cup was also won by teams from St Clement’s.
Over at Upwell Academy, the club held its first-ever junior tournament on Monday, which was also the first in Rotary’s East Anglia region.
Aimed at year 5 and 6 pupils, it was organised and run jointly by Rotarian Alan Culley and Upwell Academy staff.
The pupils were tasked with designing and building a scale model of a bridge over a pedestrian path in a sanctuary that would enable animals to reach feeding areas without encountering humans.
The students were given less than two hours to design and build their bridges working in teams of four, which were later put to the test.
Each pupil was presented with a certificate and medals were awarded to the team judged best overall, and the runners-up.
