Project provides splatter of science at Memorial High

Pumpkins aren't just for Halloween decor, especially at Memorial High School.

During the Super Pumpkin Landing Aeronautic Technology project, students created devices to protect their pumpkins, which they dropped from atop the school's football stadium.

The SPLAT assignment was the first design project of the semester and gave students a real-world grasp of design and engineering, said Lane Matheson, director of the engineering program at Memorial, 5840 S. Hudson Ave.

"It's a simple, fun-themed project so they start to understand how engineers think," she said.

A ban on typical packing material had students securing their gourds in unusual ways. Some used pillows, balloons and even popcorn to help their 4-pound pumpkins survive the nearly 26-foot drop from LaFortune Stadium.

After the padding and pumpkin innards were cleared from the ground, four of 12 pumpkins survived the fall, compared with last year's three.

The project helped students learn physics principles like air resistance, acceleration and also required several math calculations. The groups also presented a fictional marketing plan for their devices to the class.

Sara Asay, a Memorial freshman, said she was nervous about her pumpkin's survival -- it made the plunge intact -- but the project was a fun experience.

"It was really hard, doing the most part of it," she said.

The assignment required teamwork and taught students a bit about science, as well, she said.

"I think they came up with a lot of cool ideas," Asay said. "It taught me how to build something so it would be secure and safe."

A handful of parents recorded the launching with camcorders and cameras. One parent, Wayne Gault, said the project helped his son, Brian Gault, turn his textbook lessons into a finished product.

Brian Gault's device, a 10-foot long tube resembling a large blue toothpick, was a crowd pleaser that kept its contents in one piece.

"It was a good educational experience for the kids, something they can apply," Wayne Gault said.