Explorations in Engineering Students Focus on Projects for Local Non-profits

The students in Dr. Eagen's Explorations in Engineering I have been busy working to finalize designs and build products for their project partners. Four different projects -- for  Banneker Elementary School, NW Works, Aldie Mill, and Foxcroft's green initiative  -- are underway with various schedules and deliverables.
The students in Dr. Eagen's Explorations in Engineering I have been busy working to finalize designs and build products for their project partners. Four different projects -- for  Banneker Elementary School, NW Works, Aldie Mill, and Foxcroft's green initiative  -- are underway with various schedules and deliverables.

Motion at the Mill
This team is working to design and build an interactive museum display for the historic Aldie Mill that will allow visitors to experience how grain moves laterally and vertically through the mill. The display will allow users to turn a crank and watch an Archimedes screw push the grain laterally, then be picked up by a grain elevator on pulleys. Ultimately, grain uses gravity to fall down chutes to return it to ground level. The team is scheduled to deliver their museum display to the Aldie Mill in January.
NW Works
NW Works is a company based in Winchester, VA, that provides employment opportunities to 165 handicapped individuals. They are starting a commercial "box lunch" company this year as a means of providing employment to some of their clients. They asked our team to design raised planting beds that allow handicapped and wheelchair-bound clients access for planting and harvesting of vegetables and herbs. One additional constraint is that we provide a design that the NW Works clients could replicate in their wood shop. This allows us to provide one prototype that gives their clients the opportunity to build more planting boxes while they are at work. The team researched plant depths, wheelchair heights, and ergonomics associated with different disabilities. They factored all of that into their final design and received approval from NW Works. Construction is underway. They cut all their lumber and will be assembling the flower beds for delivery to NW Works before Christmas. In the spring, the class will go and help the NW Works clients plant their first crop. The team will also provide NW Works with design plans and instructions for recreating the planting beds.

Banneker Educational Tools
The second grade teachers of Banneker Elementary asked for help in teaching the Standards of Learning concepts associated with Ancient China. The team researched the SOL content and decided to design and build a 3D replica of China showing the terrain and Great Wall. They designed a game similar to Trivial Pursuit around the border of China that gives the students a chance to answer questions on different topics. There are some great twists and turns to the game that the second graders will find interesting. This game will be delivered to Banneker before Christmas.


Foxcroft School Solar Initiative
The entire class has worked to learn about solar power and investigate the potential for implementing solar panels on campus. The team leaders, seniors Charlotte Wright, Maeve Couzens, and Sydney Rose Graham, presented the findings to the administration, and the class was thrilled to find out that approval was granted to install four test panels near the observatory. The panels will be operational by early January. The most exciting aspect is that each of the four panels will independently send information to the Foxcroft website about how much energy they are generating. The panels will be used by the science classes for experimentation on tilt angles, cleaning schedules, etc.

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An all-girls boarding and day school in Northern Virginia, Foxcroft prepares young women in grades 9-12 for success in college and in life. Our outstanding academic program offers challenging courses, including Advanced Placement classes and an innovative STEM program. Our premiere equestrian program is nationally recognized, and our athletic teams have won conference and state championships. Experience the best in girls' boarding schools: visit Foxcroft.