Google and ASU are seeking teams with brains and guts for engineering feat
Western North Carolina—do not start your engines. Huh?
Come Saturday, Nov. 19, Google and Appalachian State University (ASU) will be co-sponsoring the first-ever Western North Carolina Gravity Games Soapbox Race in downtown Lenoir, starting at 8:30 a.m.
Only the best, brightest and most courageous teams from area middle and high schools, colleges and businesses will use their engineering skills to design, construct and race in their own custom-built soapbox cars.
Competition will be fast, fun and fierce. The soapbox cars are motorless vehicles capable of racing downhill, using just gravity and potential mechanical energy as the only propulsion mechanisms. So, no engines allowed. But colored wigs and helmets are a must.
Google and ASU are seeking teams from Alleghany, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba and Watauga counties. The event is free and open to the public. Prizes and trophies will be awarded based on speed and creativity.
The Gravity Games tie into ASU and Google’s support for science, math, technology and engineering (STEM) initiatives. Google is committed to developing North Carolina’s future workforce through its community relations activities and STEM initiatives. The Gravity Games will be a fun, educational, inspirational and competitive hands-on activity on basic engineering. ASU physics and technology graduate students and Googlers from the data center in Lenoir will be mentors for the teams. The Judging Committee will be comprised of representatives from Google, NC, Appalachian State University, Lenoir public officials and Caldwell County public officials.
Though we want everyone to be as creative as possible, soapbox cars will need to comply with designated safety and design standards. Safety first!
So if you think your team has what it takes to win, please call Carla Ramsdell at 828-262-8475 or email her at gravitygames@appstate.edu. Oct. 19 is the deadline to register a team. There will be a limit of 20 teams per division. The divisions are middle school, high school and the open division for university, corporate and private teams.
Come Saturday, Nov. 19, Google and Appalachian State University (ASU) will be co-sponsoring the first-ever Western North Carolina Gravity Games Soapbox Race in downtown Lenoir, starting at 8:30 a.m.
Only the best, brightest and most courageous teams from area middle and high schools, colleges and businesses will use their engineering skills to design, construct and race in their own custom-built soapbox cars.
Competition will be fast, fun and fierce. The soapbox cars are motorless vehicles capable of racing downhill, using just gravity and potential mechanical energy as the only propulsion mechanisms. So, no engines allowed. But colored wigs and helmets are a must.
Google and ASU are seeking teams from Alleghany, Avery, Burke, Caldwell, Catawba and Watauga counties. The event is free and open to the public. Prizes and trophies will be awarded based on speed and creativity.
The Gravity Games tie into ASU and Google’s support for science, math, technology and engineering (STEM) initiatives. Google is committed to developing North Carolina’s future workforce through its community relations activities and STEM initiatives. The Gravity Games will be a fun, educational, inspirational and competitive hands-on activity on basic engineering. ASU physics and technology graduate students and Googlers from the data center in Lenoir will be mentors for the teams. The Judging Committee will be comprised of representatives from Google, NC, Appalachian State University, Lenoir public officials and Caldwell County public officials.
Though we want everyone to be as creative as possible, soapbox cars will need to comply with designated safety and design standards. Safety first!
So if you think your team has what it takes to win, please call Carla Ramsdell at 828-262-8475 or email her at gravitygames@appstate.edu. Oct. 19 is the deadline to register a team. There will be a limit of 20 teams per division. The divisions are middle school, high school and the open division for university, corporate and private teams.
Details:
WHAT: The Western N.C. Gravity Games Soapbox Race
WHO: Middle school, high school and college students, business leaders, ASU representatives, Googlers from the N.C. data center
WHERE: At Church Street (between the First United Methodist Church’s parking lot and Harper Avenue) in downtown Lenoir, N.C.
WHEN: Nov. 19, 2011 at 8:30 a.m.
