By Sanvhi Gandhi, Class of 2028
On April 15, Montverde Academy Middle School student Sanvhi Gandhi hosted “The Future of Engineers” event for Upper and Middle School students in the Innovation Center where students were given the chance to explore the different paths of engineering while performing a variety of activities presented. At the end, attendees were given the chance to see rockets launched!
The start of the event consisted of a presentation from the University of Central Florida’s Society of Women’s Engineering (SWE) and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), highlighting the environmental impacts that engineering has on our modern-day life and the different paths of it. Soon afterwards, the students were sectioned off into activity rooms representing various engineering fields. As students played with Lego and snap circuits and created toothpick towers, balloon rockets, and homopolar motors, one room was deep in creating water rockets. This activity, led by eighth-grade science teacher Mr. Scott Werner, was a hit as students worked hard to create water rockets out of huge soda bottles. Additionally, the Homopolar motor activity, led by UCF’s SWE and IEEE was brilliant as students were given the challenge to make the wire spin around the battery using only its charge.
Once the students switched around rooms and were able to have some fun with the activities, it was time to launch the rockets. Standing near the back of Lindor Hall, over 5 water rockets were launched going up to 70 feet high! The rockets were then collected, and all students said goodbye to UCFs’ SWE and IEEE.
This event was wonderful and was a great opportunity for the students to have fun while learning! Special thanks to Dr. Long, Mr. Urquhart, Mrs. Fracker, Mrs. Burrell, and Mr. Werner for making this event possible!
