USA: Newport News Shipbuilding, Public Schools Host First Egg Drop Engineering Competition

Huntington Ingalls Industries’ Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS) division partnered with Newport News Public Schools yesterday to host the first Egg Drop Engineering Competition for middle and high school students. The event was sponsored by the NNS Career Pathways program.

Lynetta Haskett, AmilRiyana Jacobs, Reality Richardson and Brynne Hunter of Huntington Middle School won the middle school category. Kevin Ellis and Hosea Gamble, who comprised the Achievable Dream High School team, won the high school category.

“Newport News Shipbuilding is delighted to collaborate with Newport News Public Schools to host this competition,” said Jennifer McClain, NNS Career Pathways program manager. “Our partnership gives the shipyard the opportunity to provide input in preparing students for STEM careers. This particular activity is a highlight for our volunteer shipbuilders to engage our youth in a manner that makes engineering principles fun for students.”

Egg drop competitions were held at all of the Newport News high schools and middle schools throughout the school year. About 70 students representing the winning teams from each school faced off to determine the overall egg drop champion. The teams created capsules using materials such as paper cups, cardboard, newspaper and tape to hold their eggs. The middle school teams’ eggs were dropped 12 feet onto asphalt; the high school teams’ eggs were dropped 18 feet onto asphalt. In addition to being judged on the integrity of the egg following the drop, students were judged on their team presentations describing the materials they used and how career readiness skills such as teamwork, communication and positive attitude helped to build their capsule.

“Newport News Shipbuilding has been an outstanding business partner with Newport News Public Schools in its quest to ensure that all students graduate college, career and citizen ready,” said Ann Ifekwunigwe, Newport New Public Schools Career Pathways supervisor. “The Egg Drop Engineering Competition is one of many examples of the shipyard’s commitment to enhancing students’ learning through meaningful, hands-on experiences.”

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) designs, builds and maintains nuclear and non-nuclear ships for the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and provides after-market services for military ships around the globe. For more than a century, HII has built more ships in more ship classes than any other U.S. naval shipbuilder. Employing nearly 38,000 in Virginia, Mississippi, Louisiana and California, its primary business divisions are Newport News Shipbuilding and Ingalls Shipbuilding.

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Source: huntingtoningalls, April 27, 2012