Shaler Area School District’s popular STEAM competition returned for the ninth year with a carnival theme that made learning engaging and fun. On March 7th, students were invited to step under the big top for a day of hands-on engineering and design activities at Shaler Area High School.

This year, 25 teams of high school students from 16 different schools across the region have been tasked with creating a catapult that can compete in a carnival favorite: the milk bottle toss. The undertaking has tested students’ ingenuity, creativity, and limits as they design a mobile underhanded catapult. Students have been fine-tuning their prototypes for months to create a functional machine that can best their competition. The catapults were tested from 3 different locations in the gymnasium, requiring students to make quick adjustments so the catapult can fire from 10, 20, and 30 feet. High-tech or low-tech, schools vied to be lucky ducks and win the top-shelf prize. Students also collaborated and innovated during three surprise science and technology challenges throughout the day.

Participating schools:
Allderdice, Beattie Tech, Brentwood, Burrell, Beth Center, Bishop Canevin, Fox Chapel, Keystone Oaks, Montour, Pine Richland, North Allegheny, Norwin, South Park, Shaler Area, Trinity, and Valley.