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.

SPEEDSTER NEWS

Roberts High School students are attending skills training workshops in preparation for the Model T-Speedster Program. Mentors from Northwest Vintage Car and Motorcycle Museum work with students to rebuild a fully functional 1920’s Model T-Speedster car.

Each student learns skills in auto body design and construction, woodworking, welding, and engine theory. In the first workshop, students built and painted six “Chassis Suspension Devices” (sawhorses) to support the cars during the initial rebuilding stages.

At the second workshop held at Gary’s Automotive in Keizer, students sandblasted, primed, and sanded the chassis, as featured in the this post's photos. Gary gave a brief talk on safety then gave a tour of his business.

Students worked on preparing two pick-up loads of Model – T parts. They "acid washed", sanded, and painted fenders, frames, rear-ends, and running boards. Special thanks to Jesus Pardo from the Digital Photography Dept. for taking pictures and Daniel Monroy for assisting with supervision.

On November 6th the Speedster Workshop was held at mentor Bert Harrison's shop in southeast Salem. Students disassembling motor, rear end and wood spoke wheels.

Mentor Blair Wasson worked with students to completely disassembled a 1926 T engine and transmission encased in 80 years of dirt and baked grease. At the end of the workshop, the bare engine block was ready for machine work.

Mentors Doug Nelson and Bert Harrison (our "T" expert) assisted students disassembling five wood spoke wheels from their crusty hubs and rims using hand tools and a electric die grinder. Students cleaned up small parts in the sand blast cabinet, then painted each piece, and worked on disassembly of a steering column and rear end.

Mentor Ed Weber worked with students in removing the hand brake assembly from the Model T frame in preparation for body work. Ed and Bert were the roving tool guys and trouble shooters. Ed is always asking questions of the students about various components as a way of getting them involved.

Ken Logan, of Enterprise Co., transported the students from school and back. Our continued thanks to Enterprise for their sponsorship of the program.

The next workshop will be held at Jay Clark’s shop when Mike Schalg will work with the guys on forming and cutting sheet metal for the bucket seats.

Once again, special thanks to our growing list of Speedster Program supporters, sponsors, and mentors!

· Ted Dodge – Program supplies and materials
· Airgas – Gases, Welding, and Safety Products
· Enterprise Rent-A-Car – Donating transportation
· Ken Login – Enterprise Driver
· Aramark – Uniform Services
· Doug Nelson – Mentor Coordinator
· Bert Harrison - Mentor
· Don Blain - Mentor
· Larry Epping – Financial Support
· Gary’s Automotive – Sandblasting
· Northwest Vintage Car & Motorcycle Museum staff
· Mike Schalg – River City Machinery
· Jay Clark - mentor