Roberts T-Shirt Launcher Outdistances All Others!

Roberts High School is the distance champion in the 2008 Intel/Trail Blazers Engineering Challenge, setting an official record of 558 feet. The Roberts T-shirt shot cleared the top row seating in the Rose Garden and was still heading upward as it bounced off the upper wall of the arena.

Students designed and built the launcher as part of a physical science class and under the guidance of teacher Todd Anderson and instructional assistant John Duda. The student launch team at the Portland Trailblazer half-time was Amanda Murdock, Jose Nigerette, and Allan Pinard.

Nine Oregon high school teams demonstrated their engineering prowess designing and building T-shirt launchers. Their creations were demonstrated during the Dec 12 Portland Trail Blazer game at the Rose Garden. Participating schools received a $400 grant from Intel Corporation to assist with the production of their t-shirt launchers.

Camas Valley was the winner in the best design category and Arlington was designated as the overall winner of the engineering challenge.

Watch the video below!

The Winner’s Circle

The Winner’s Circle, which is the Roberts High School leadership class at the Structured Learning Center, has been learning how to lead!

The class extends leadership knowledge and experience by researching various topics, giving presentations, and participating in activities with an opportunity to practice some of these leadership skills. The Winner’s Circle recognizes student’s achievements already in the areas of academic focus and making healthy choices in their personal lives. Class selection was based on teacher referrals of students who performed well in class and stood out as potential leaders.

Students have been reporting on Elements of Success, Decision Making, Motivating People, Communications, and Mentor Relationships. Students have created power-point presentations and led discussions of their topics as they explore and discover the ingredients of leadership. Cody Thomas, presenting on Success, made the point that success is how you define it and setting goals is essential.

The Winner’s Circle ventured out to the ropes course for a day of practical learning at The Salem YWAM (Youth With A Mission). The activities included the zip-line, the big swing (really high big swing) and other challenges that explore our fears, courage, communications, decision-making, cooperation, leadership and followership skills. Several students admitted they were way out of their “comfort zone”, but as a result of participating they developed a lot of trust and found the exercises to be helpful in team-building.

Andres Espinosa and Amanda Murdock both thought the big swing was the “scariest”. Amanda commented that she learned “I can do anything I set my mind to”. Some of the activities focused more on team success. Andres learned that “we have to talk to our teammates to be successful.”

The Winner’s Circle continues to learn about our individual strengths and weaknesses, how to meet the challenge and problem solve, and ways in which we can contribute to our community.

Speedster Update: And the Grant Goes to. . .

... Northwest Vintage Car and Motorcycle Museum

Eight lucky students from Roberts High School in Salem , Oregon get to build a Model T Speedster this year at the Northwest Vintage Car and Motorcycle museum. A husband and wife donated the chassis, and a museum member secured the Speedster body.

Other groups of students will work on projects related to building the Model T. One group will take digital photographs to create a parts catalog. Another will create a newsletter, and another will create a Power Point presentation. In addition to using their English skills, students will also study history from the 1920’s and 30’s. Some of the project will be completed at the museum, and curriculum will be undertaken at the school.

Roberts High School is an alternative high school. “Teachers have more latitude in their projects,” explains Doug Nelson, Board Chairman of the museum. “Kids can come to the museum from 9 in the morning until 3 in the afternoon,” he says.

Nelson explains. “We want to raise self-esteem with a positive project. They can say ‘I built this, now I get to drive it.’”

The students will show their completed project at Salem area shows in 2009, including the Portland Roadster Show and an all-high school show. “It’s a great experience for the kids,” Nelson says.

This is a pilot project. “We’re pioneering here,” says Nelson. The idea was born when the Model T Club of America published an article in its national magazine about connecting with high school shop classes. Around the same time, Roberts High School approached the museum and asked to attend the museum’s car show. “But none of the kids had cars,” Nelson explains.

So six members of the museum held a mini car show for the students. “We let the kids get inside the cars and steer,” Nelson recalls. “It was really popular and successful. So we combined those two ideas. Kids could come to the museum and build a Speedster with mentor help.”

Nelson reports that in the Salem area, automotive repair businesses are having a difficult time finding recent graduates for automotive or technical jobs. Nelson hopes that such businesses can connect with Roberts graduates who acquire automotive skills through the project. Nelson also hopes some of these graduates can get a scholarship to the local community college.

Roberts High School is focused on providing students with a path to career development. “We’ve got to have these kids do something besides flip burgers after high school,” Nelson says.

“We want to integrate them into the business community,” Nelson says. The project receives several sponsorships from local businesses, who purchase items such as overalls for the students.

“I speak to many car clubs,” Nelson says. “I always hear ‘How do we get more young people involved in the hobby?’ It’s a graying hobby. We want to spark interest in car clubs, work with young people, and get more young people involved.”

For more information, please visit www.nwcarandcycle.org.