LTHS wins awards at technology competition

Equipped with just rulers, safety glasses, tape measures and X-Acto knives, 34 Lyons Township High School students competed at the annual Illinois State Tech Day Engineering Competition. Five teams came home with top 3 finishes, with 10 Lions earning medals. A total of 400 students from 20 different schools participated.

VEX Robotics: 2nd place

Tim Sands, Senior (LaGrange Park)

Justin Squire, Senior (LaGrange)

Level 1 Structural Technology: 3rd place

Daniel Klos, Sophomore (LaGrange)

Shannon Miller, Freshman (Countryside)

Level 2 Structural Technology: 1st place

Jack Petrak, Senior (LaGrange)

Patrick Townsend, Senior (Indian Head Park)

Level 1 Engineering Design: 3rd place

Dorrie Peters, Freshman (LaGrange Park)

Bess Bezanis, Freshman (LaGrange)

Level 2 Engineering Design: 1st place

Chris Borawski, Junior (LaGrange)

Noah Negro, Junior (Willow Springs)

Technology Day is sponsored by the Illinois Technology Student Association and was hosted by Illinois State University’s Technology Education Collegiate Association. The event provides an opportunity for students to learn about technology education, competing against students from all over the state of Illinois in hands-on, problem-solving, engineering-based activities and challenges. Technology Day is a one-day series of STEM-based, simultaneous, hands-on competitive events. Each year the competitions are different in scope, but similar to what other students in academic areas such as mathematics and science compete in.

The four areas of competition were Invention/ Innovation, Structural Technology, Transportation Technology, and Engineering Design. There are two levels of competition: level I for students in grades 6-9 and level II for students in grades 10-12. Each school is allowed two teams in each level of competition for each event. The teams included two members. Winners in each level, of each event, were recognized and presented awards.

LTHS Engineering/Architecture teacher and Robotics Team sponsor Blake Sauders said, “LT had 17 teams competing against students from all over the state in hands-on, problem-solving, engineering-based challenges. They all did really well and walked away with an appreciation for engineering and being able to think on their feet.”