In trials, the team's ball released too early, sending it upward. "We utilized a lot of laws of physics," he told the crowd, talking about using a small base, duct tape to secure the structure and a long launch pole for torque. The team's tennis ball flew about 75 yards.
Gustavo Teixeira, a Riverdale junior, spoke on behalf of the winning team for distance, Mean Machine. We're interested in getting blue chip students." "We're trying to get the best and brightest STEM students to come here," he said. Behr, dean of the FGCU engineering college, said the day was flawless. He hopes to go into television production, and said his favorite field trips were to NBC-2/ABC 7 and The News-Press, giving him perspective on a career. "You can't just do something like this with one person," he said. Team member Bryan Cornelius, an East Lee County High School senior, said he was happy with the team's effort, and everyone contributed their ideas to make the catapult work. "This is one of my favorite parts of teaching," Christian said, observing the teamwork. The team adjusted the tension of the rubber bands and tinkered with the length of the arm and launched another ball. "Is it working?" Christian called to the team as it attempted a launch, saying her role for the day was answering questions that facilitate learning and critical thinking. Julia Dareau, a Riverdale High sophomore who wants to study international business, said learning about science jobs at Chico's and that the airport operates like a small city with many jobs opened her up to the options. She was introduced to jobs with Algenol, the county incinerator, the hospital and the FGCU forensic lab in the past year. Working with Faulkner and others, Riverdale junior Morgan Baldwin said field trips to Southwest Florida companies to observe what they do gives students a perspective they may have missed in traditional school.