RICHMOND SCHOOL TEAM AWARDED FIRST PLACE AT ANNUAL ROTARY TECH TOURNAMENT
43 teams from 11 local schools took part in this year’s Rotary Technology Tournament recently, organised by the Rotary Clubs of Richmond, Thirsk, Northallerton, Northallerton Mowbray and Wesleydale, aided by 1st Close Support battalion REME.
Richmond School took four teams from Years 9 and 10, accompanied by Mr Wilson, teacher of Design Technology. He takes up the story:
“Earlier this month, we took 16 students in four teams to the Regional Rotary Technology Tournament at REME Barracks, Catterick Garrison.
The Year 9 teams consisted of Jack Blakey, Jake Grufferty, Jessica Senior and Elena Williamson in Foundation Team 1, and Nia Aston, Taylor Edmonds, Charlie Hawkes and Leyla Lonsdale in Foundation Team 2.
The Year 10 teams were Dan Crowther, Lacey Haighton, Abigail Horn and Jamie Welman in Intermediate Team 1, and Jack Ford, Bertie Smart, Harry Thompson and Freya Wilford in Intermediate Team 2.
Thanks to Jack Blakey for helping us out by stepping in at the last minute to fill an absence.
Mr Potter was kind enough to take us there on the minibus and collect us at the end of the day.
Teams were instructed to take a tray of specified tools and equipment along with them from school (apart from one team who left theirs in the DT building and will go unnamed), but did not find out what the challenge would be until they arrived at the venue.
This year, the challenge was to design and build a motorised vehicle which could travel along a length of guttering, scoop up some small blocks of wood, pass under a bridge and then stop at the far end. This was even trickier than it sounds, particularly as the guttering was not perfectly true or evenly textured.
Foundation Team 1 were awarded first place and a trophy from the on-site REME Commanding Officer. The judges were particularly impressed with how well they worked as a team, although having watched all four teams over the course of the day, I was particularly proud of each and every one of them!”