Switches, Buoys, and Thrusters Are a Go!

Over the last few days, we have been busy testing and designing various models of our underwater vehicles and measuring linear, vertical, and rotational speed based on thruster placement. We applied our findings to our vehicle designs as we prepared for our first full scale pool test at UMass Lowell's Costello indoor pool. Much of our time has been spent wiring motors and switches, balancing and stabilizing our vehicles, and prioritizing our design criteria. 

  

  

Pretty Colors

LA Stained Glass is hard at work creating the stained glass products.

Beginning

Middle

End

Dreaming of the sea?

You Made That Out Of Mud?

The sculptors created all these objects in the Clay & Kiln Winterim. They are a dedicated group of people capable of so much. The creativity in the room is palatable.

Weekend Warriors - the Volunteers & Athletes

The Massachusetts Special Olympic Winter Games were this past weekend and 13 LA students were exhausted and ready for a break by late Sunday afternoon.  They left early on Saturday morning and returned late afternoon, only to make quick change, so 7 of them could attend and volunteer at one of the dinners/dance that evening.  Then they returned again early on Sunday for the final games and medal ceremonies.  Our students were only 13 out of 1200 total volunteers needed to pull off this event where over 2500 athletes participated in basketball, skiing, bowling or floor hockey. Venues included 9 high schools in the Worcester, Auburn and Shewsbury area, Wachusett Mountain, two bowling lanes and Assumption College's rec center.

Basketball happened at nine different venues. Our students were involved with basketball at the largest venue, Shrewsbury High School (4 courts and 29 teams). They were impressed by the competitive nature of the games and the high level of sportsmanship on the courts.  They assisted with the set up and clean up for each game throughout the day.  They also ran the clocks and kept score for many of the games.  

At the dance they served the buffet dinner  and also ran fun booths like tatoos, basketball free throws, face painting and etc. They served ice cream in between catching a few dances with the athletes, as well.




On Sunday, they helped with the final games. They were there to congratulate the athletes at the medal ceremonies.  Gold, Silver or Bronze medals are given to the team members who earn those respective spots as they play other teams in their division.

This week they will be focused on  the clean-up and re-organizing of the things they need to bring back to the Yawkey Training Center.  (Mr. Poulin let them sleep in on Monday since they worked all weekend!)

Panama's in the Caribbean?

Gamboa and the Panama Canal as seen from the Gamboa Rainforest Resort's Canopy Tower.
(Wikipedia Images)

Caribbean Kayaking is paddling around in Panama (which does border the Caribbean Sea), it is going swimmingly. They are island hopping with the indigenous Kuna tribe and enjoying it. The wildlife, water, and weather is exotic and beautiful. The small remote islands are an amazing site on the beautiful waters of the Panama Canal. (We know Mr. Bukholtz has his phone, as he sent Ms. Poulin an email the first day to ask about where he could sent information. However we have not heard from him - we hope he did not drop the phone in the water!)

After their stay in a hostel in Gamboa, they kayaked to the island of Tigre where they camped for about 2 days.  From there they island hopped, snorkeling and checking out the reefs along the way. They will not return to "main land" until this Thursday. (We found Gamboa on a map, however most of the islands' locations are a mystery to Google Maps.)

The single lane wooden bridge into Gamboa.
(Wikipedia images)

Students in Arizona Rock

The Geoscience Winterim is keeping their own blog. Check it out for a complete summary of everything they have done through Sunday, March 10th.  (The 3rd tab above will also bring you to their page.)

They have been inside a dome biosphere, observed wildlife at a national park, visited with a meteorologist at a TV network in Phoenix  driven through a major thunderstorm, been "snowed in" Arizona style, visited a natural pool or well of water in the middle of the desert (which they couldn't drink from - read the blog to know why!) and hiked at least 3 miles just yesterday.

 

From the photos, they certainly look like they are having a good time while learning about the environment, weather, and habits without the need for a textbook!

A Week In the Dirt

Confronted by untamed beasts, they show no fear.

The Vatican. Are they choosing a new Pope?

 

"Horses roam the dig site but their friendly"

The Excavation Begins

They've been in the dirt for a week, and have started to

Tolfaccia, Italy

clear the site and dig. Their site are the ruins of a church in the small town of Tolfaccia, Italy. The students seem to be enjoying themselves.
To see more photos go to the Can You Dig It Picasa Photo Album.