Neighbor News
East Catholic High School Engineering Team Selected as a Finalist in the SourceAmerica Design Challenge
This national engineering competition creates workplace technology for people with disabilities.
East Catholic High School has some exciting things going on!
Recently, the school’s Engineering Team was selected as a finalist in the SourceAmerica Design Challenge in Washington, D.C.
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This national engineering competition creates workplace technology for people with disabilities. Students partner with an organization that employs people with disabilities or an individual with a disability to invent a process, device, system, or software to overcome a workplace barrier.
This service learning opportunity develops engineering, communication, writing, math, presentation, and social skills while helping the community.
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The East Catholic High School Engineering Team was one of five teams selected nationwide to present in Washington, DC, at the finals Feb. 23 through Feb. 25.
The benefits of competing in this design challenge are far reaching. In the past, students have received community outreach credits at their schools, used this project as part of their college applications, and patented their device. Students from East Catholic will be competing for a $15,000 grand prize.
The East Catholic High School Engineering Team has partnered with a local agency, MARC, Inc. of Manchester for this project. MARC, Inc. is an agency dedicated to the support and advocacy of people with disabilities.
The team worked with MARC client Robert Noll, a worker at MARC, Inc. who has been blind since birth and also has a cognitive disability. The ECHS Team created a device called the R.U.D. (Robert’s U-bolt device) to assist Robert with his daily work in putting nuts onto a U-bolt properly.
Prior to using the R.U.D., Robert required constant supervision in order to complete his task of locating and screwing the proper nuts into a U-bolt. The development of the R.U.D. has now given Robert the ability to work independently and efficiently.
The members of the ECHS Engineering Team who will be traveling to the finals are Team Captain Gabe Buenrostro ’16, Garrett Carlson ’15, John DiLoreto ’16, Emma Dolen ’16, and Alex Fernez ’15. Students will be accompanied by Coach Jon Sargent, ECHS Mentor Susan Fennelly, and Principal Jay Hartling. While in D.C., the team will meet with local Congressmen John Larson and Joe Courtney and Senator Chris Murphy and will be given a tour of the Capitol.
In the photo: Front row – Emma Dolen ’16, Gabe Buenrostro ’16, MARC, Inc. client Robert Noll, Alex Fernez ’15, and Garrett Carlson ’15. Back row – Principal Jay Hartling, Engineering Team Coach Jon Sargent, Ben Davis from MARC, Inc., John DiLoreto ’16, Kevin Zingler from MARC, Inc., and ECHS Teacher/Mentor Sue Fennelly.
