Kids these days!
While their friends were out doing “whatever” last weekend, the Staples High School Applied Science Club won 1st place at the state Rube Goldberg competition.
Their challenge was to inflate and pop a balloon using as many energy transfer steps as possible. As seen in the carnival-themed machine in the picture below, their design incorporated ramps, pulleys, waterfalls, zip lines, a Ferris wheel, and the final razor blade.
Warning: Do not try this at home!
The team moves on to — of course — the national competition in March.
Congratulations — in a very direct fashion — to Clay Andrews, Megumi Asada, Dylan Klein, Neloise Egipto. Ben Shay and Tiffany Young.
Congrats to the team and its members! But since your column is based on “where Westport meets the world,” it’s only fitting to point out another connection between Westport and Rube Goldberg. The highest honor given out annually by the National Cartoonists Society is the “Reuben” – named after Rube Goldberg, the founder of the Society and the designer of the award. And, yes, it was awarded to Westport cartoonist Leonard Starr in 1965, for creating the comic strip “On Stage” and reviving the comic strip “Little Orphan Annie.” So it turns out that the winning Staples team was following a Westport tradition.
I sure didn’t know that, Jeff. THANKS for the great info!
Flattery will get you everywhere!
Where’s da video?
My brain has felt like that after a wild night on the town.
Great post, Dan.