Nemesis roars into 4th annual Engineering Day

As newspapers flew around the technology lab, students combined forces to solve an engineering challenge to build the tallest tower that could support a soccer ball.. Four years in the making, Nemesis Engineering Day was nothing ordinary; it was a session filled with craziness, excitement, and anticipation. Spanning two days, Engineering Day fostered and created opportunities for students to explore S.T.E.M by presenting an engineering based challenge to 5th-8th graders.

Students entered their sessions with optimism and eagerness to learn. Nemesis student mentors presented the engineering challenge: Following the presentation, the mentors joined with the campers to form teams of two. 

The challenge- seemingly daunting and complex- required teamwork, aptitude, and determination in order to succeed. With only masking tape and newspapers, students had to put their engineering and design skills to work. Not only did the restriction of materials serve as a constraint, there were additional rules that prohibited students from taping the ball to the newspaper and the entire structure to the ground.

Despite such barriers, all students worked productively with their teammates and mentors to implement their intricate and unique designs. After working for some time, students finally began testing their towers. Although, concepts varied, all the models were able to successfully hold the soccer balls at breathtaking heights. Some were even above eight feet!

Students also had the opportunity to explore the NAO Robot, an AI robot that can solve algebraic math problems, drive the 2019 award-winning competition robot Gaia, and play the First Tech Challenge (FTC) game. 

Last, but not least, students enjoyed a pizza lunch while telling tales of their success. All in all, students experience a life-changing moment as they were exposed to STEM .They also developed other critical skills such as communication, team work, and resilience.  The student mentors also gained valuable skills as they worked with the campers and realized the joy of bringing engineering to the next generation..

Thank you to all who attended! We hope to see you next year!

Nemesis would like to thank their sponsors: Navair, Robbinsville High School, Picatinny Arsenal, Lockheed Martin, DoDStem, Bristol-Myers Squibb, CCL Label, Investors Foundation, New York Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Robbinsville Education Association, Sharbell Development, RAS, Robbinsville Education Foundation, Princeton Sports and Family Medicine, EAG Laboratories, DesignTree, CCC, Gilbane, Triangle Copy, SkyLink Technology, Coldwell Bankers, and the family and friends of Nemesis.