Young engineers build bridges in technology competition

The Rotary Clubs in the Dales Group recently held its tenth tournament for schools, at Gargrave Village Hall.

Nineteen teams from schools and colleges from Yorkshire Dales Area, from Otley in the east, Ilkley and Skipton, to Settle in the north, took part.

The sponsor, Silsden-based Advanced Actuators Ltd, provided the prizes for the top schools, and also the encouragement for schools and colleges to concentrate on all aspects of a career in engineering.

Student teams are given a task with basic materials, provided such as card, drinking straws, string, and wood and fixing pins, these are provided with details of the project only 30 minutes prior to construction.

This year's project involved construction of a bridge with fixed and opening spans capable of supporting a 1kg test weight with a model barge able to go under the bridge and a model yacht sailing through the open bridge.

Tournament Organiser, Arnie Read, said: “The challenge combined a number of skills in a fun way. As well as design and technology skills, students have to call on innovation, communication, problem solving, risk taking, and creativity to achieve their goal.

“They also have to produce a design and construction portfolio to show how they arrived at the finished model.”

Over the past ten years, the Technology Tournaments organised by the Rotary Clubs of Yorkshire have involved thousands of young people and more than 500 schools, academies and colleges as an established feature of the academic year.

The prizewinners were as follows:

Main challenge (Foundation): Gold - Giggleswick School, Silver - Prince Henry’s Grammar School, Otley, Bronze - Ilkley Grammar School (Intermediate): Gold - Giggleswick School Team A, Silver - Giggleswick School Team B, Bronze - Ilkley Grammar School. (Advanced): Gold - Ermysted’s Grammar School, Silver - Giggleswick School, Bronze - Ilkley Grammar School.