Pinkerton to host first TechFest event

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October 22, 2009

By Julie Huss

DERRY — It's a celebration of science and technology as Pinkerton Academy's FIRST Robotics Team 241 and the Academy host the first ever NH TechFest 2009 on Nov. 14, an all-day event featuring demonstrations, hands-on activities, and overall scientific experiences.

As they prepare for the TechFest, FIRST students took to the Pinkerton fields one afternoon to hone their skills with a hand-built trebuchet, a type of gravity-powered catapult.

As students set the contraption and placed an apple as the projectile of choice, a pulled string released the apple high in the hair toward a target set about 60-foot further down the field.

The trebuchet demonstration will be part of TechFest, and will pit students against each other with their engineered machine in a competition of technological wits.

Pinkerton Academy staffer and NH TechFest chairman Joe Cunningham said the goal of the event is to demonstrate the immediate and future relevance of studies in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics geared to middle and high-school students.

In addition to demonstrations, businesses, professionals and technology fans are invited to showcase and share their work in the hopes of helping students understand how studies in these areas could mean success in the future.

"There is a big need to get kids interested in these things," Cunningham said, adding the hands-on activities during TechFest will give the students a chance to "see it and touch it."

Along with multiple interactive mini-workshops, there will be displays and demonstrations of the latest developments in science and technology including robotics, industrial machines, safety devices and research equipment. Organizations will be on hand to help educate students and parents about education and career opportunities.

As for the trebuchet contest, teams of students and adult mentors from throughout New England will build the catapult machines and compete to see who can throw an apple the furthest with the most accuracy. A donation of more than $1,800 from Tire Warehouse will serve as prizes for the top three finishers in the competition.

TechFest runs on Nov. 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Pinkerton's Hackler field house. Admission is free. For information, visit online at www.nhtechfest.org.

To learn more about Pinkerton Academy's FIRST Robotics team, visit the team online at www.team241.org. The group not only competes in annual competitions where the students construct 'robots' that compete against other teams, the FIRST students also participate in community outreach, leadership and other service projects throughout the year.