Rotary Technology Tournament 2012

Could you build a machine to separate coins into different denominations and count how many of each type there are?  That was the challenge presented to 20 teams from local schools and colleges in this year’s Rotary Technology Tournament.  For the foundation level, for competitors up to 14, this involved 1p and 2p coins with more denominations added for the intermediate and advanced levels for older students.

Competition was fierce in all the age groups and there was a wide variety of different approaches involving sliding and rolling and one machine that seemed to have been inspired by the TV show “Total Wipeout”.  The hall at Oaklands College was a hive of activity all day and at the end each team had to demonstrate their machine to the judges from local Rotary clubs and the Herts Engineers Lunch Club.  The day was organised by Hatfield Rotary Club on behalf of Mid Herts Rotary, and led by Rtn Frank Taylor.

Advanced winners with District Governor John Bromley

Foundation winners 

The Foundation winners' machine

Intermediate winners

The teachers' machine in action.

Teams were marked throughout the day on their planning of the task and had to produce a portfolio explaining their solution to the problem and how they had arrived at it. Construction of the machines demonstrated practical skills learned at school. When the marks were all totted up the winners in the Foundation section were Monk’s Walk School with James, Amy, Megan and Luke.  In second and third places were teams from Stanborough School and Onslow St Audreys. The Intermediate winners were also from Monk’s Walk: Georgina, Katy, Zak and Ben.  In both second and third places were teams from Stanborough School. The winners of the Advanced section were more students taught at Stanborough School : Nathan, Oliver, Jack and Chantal. Monks Walk School and Oaklands College were in second and third places. Students are all eligible to receive Crest Awards for their efforts.

Winners were presented with their prizes by Rotary District Governor John Bromley.  An excellent day all round, clearly enjoyed by the students and even the accompanying teachers; their team managed three different solutions and they demonstrated the best successfully to the judges, to prove they can still cut it!.

Young Chef District Final

Young Chef had a very successful local heat, as a result of which  Zoe from Chancellors School went on to the District Final at North Herts College.  She met even stiffer competition from eight other finalists from all over Herts, Beds and Bucks.  This time she had to produce three courses instead of two.  Her menu of leeks with quails eggs and vinaigrette, then saffron marinated sea bass on crushed new potatoes with stir-fry peppers and courgettes with a sauce vierge, followed by layers of filo pastry filled with white chocolate cream and raspberry and elderflower jellies was stunningly presented and absolutely delicious.  As a result she was a deserved winner and now goes forward to the Regional Final at Grays in Essex at the end of March.

Youth Speaks Results

Youth Speaks is the public-speaking competition for teams of three, a chairman, a main speaker and a vote of thanks.  It is in two age groups, Upper(14-18 year olds) and Intermediate (11-14 year olds) There were two local heats in November and, as a result, both Upper and Intermediate teams from Bishops Hatfield Girls and Dame Alice Owens schools and two Intermediate teams from Chancellors School went through to the District semifinals in January, which were extremely hard-fought.  Both the Bishops Hatfield teams and one of the Chancellors teams won through to the District final where there were six teams in each section.  

There were some fascinating topics, including an impassioned plea that “We should maintain the Union” on Scottish Independence, the down side of Christmas, Mancinism (left-handedness, in case you are wondering!) and “Are men stronger than women?”.   It was an excellent evening at Rothamstead Research and Conference Centre in Harpenden but with only one team from each section progressing to the Regional final.    Regrettably none of our local teams won that honour, Parmiters School Watford winning the Upper section and Hitchin Boys School the Intermediate competition,  but all our teams acquitted themselves very well and India Hammond from Bishops Hatfield was chosen as the best chairman in the Upper section.