A Traip Academy team of budding engineers learned some lessons in physics and teamwork, and along the way, garnered honors at a recent statewide wind turbine competition.
Two teams from Traip participated in the University of Maine annual Windstorm and Wind Blade Challenge, and one of the teams walked away with second place overall for its floating turbine platform design.
The competition was sponsored by the Advanced Structures and Composites Center (ASCC) at UMaine, with more than 40 middle schools and high schools participating.
According to Traip Academy physics teacher Ed Disy, the goal was very precise: Build a wind turbine platform with a blade connection no more than four inches off the water, using no more than $100 for materials. Submitted with each design was a business plan detailing how they spent their funds.
Disy said the competition has practical applications. The ASCC this month completed the country's first floating wind turbine, which is expected to be placed in the water by 2016. The competition is intended to spur interest in the turbine program. Disy said they were told the winning prototypes may be used as a model for future turbines.
Teams could choose to either build a prototype turbine or a prototype floating platform for the turbine. Both Traip teams chose to build a platform.
The teams began meeting in December, first creating plans on paper and then transforming those plans into the actual model.
"I do a lot with the sciences, and I do pretty well," said senior Josh Wiswell, who will attend University of Southern Maine this fall as an electrical engineering student. "But I haven't done the engineering part."
Creating a model from plans was key to his interest, he said, "although we learned the real world is not as perfect as the calculations."
Disy agreed it was the learning experience that mattered most. "What we talked about is learning by failing," he said. "It doesn't always have to come out right."
For instance, one team created a platform out of plastic plumbing tubing, only to realize after it was built that it sat too high in the water. The solution was to use bricks to add weight.
The other team created a platform using a weighted-down gallon milk jug and a plastic pail. To get the correct buoyancy, they drilled holes in the pail so it would fill with water. When it was 4 inches off the water, they used duct tape to plug the remaining holes.
That model was the one that won second overall, likely in part because the team only spent $8 to build it.
"The best thing is applying it to real life," said team member Teancum Keele. "In math and science, you learn equations, but how does it apply to actual situations?"
Keele's team included Taidgh Robinson and Nathanial Thomas. Wiswell's team included Enya Childs and Talia Dennis.
2013年5月21日 星期二
2012年10月31日 星期三
Local Legend 'The Great Morgani' Has 130 Costumes
Behind the crazy costumes of Santa Cruz's street performer "The Great Morgani" is a fashion lover and community representative.
Known as “The Great Morgani” by the Santa Cruz community, Frank Lima, 69, has been performing as an accordion extraordinaire for 15 years.
“People want to see the spectacle,” said Lima. “Oh what shoes is he wearing now? I have to create a fashion monster.”
Playing the accordion to entertain others is Lima’s hobby, and he is often spotted on Pacific Avenue, or at farmers markets. With 42 accordions, 130 costumes and over 1,200 songs, every performance is different.
One of Lima’s favorite parts of being a street performer is seeing the crowd react to his songs and his all-out costumes.
“I always feel that the crowd is entertaining me,” he said. “I love watching peoples’ reactions.”
Lima isn’t just like any street performer. Standing atop a mini-stage on Pacific Avenue, Lima dons a full-body costume of crazy patterns and intricate accessories.
“I just wanted to have this look and get more elaborate,” he said. “I have a lot of creative energy.”
Covered with about 100 cones, his “making a point” costume that he made for a Santa Cruz fashion show is one of Lima’s most memorable. The cool colors – turquoise, cobalt blue and magenta – react to fluorescent lights.
Although they sometimes take up to 100 hours of work, Lima said, “My passion is the costumes. The music is very easy for me.”
On Saturday at the Willow Glen Farmers Market, Lima wore his “Flower Powered” outfit, featuring a coral hibiscus flower fabric that covered his body and accordion as well as a bike.
As a kid, Lima learned how to sew by watching his mother who was a great seamstress, he said. His mother upholstered his U-shaped couch that has about 32 cushions.
“Her stitches were so fine you could wear it inside out,” said Lima. “But you don’t want to see the backside of my costumes.”
“Could I get away with this in Fresno, CA? Or would I want to? I don’t think so,” he said.
Santa Cruz is ripe with artistic minds, expressing themselves in any way possible. When tourists come, Lima said they give him the strangest looks. In the eyes of tourists and locals alike, Lima hopes to represent Santa Cruz in a positive light.
“I want to do the best I can performing,” said Lima. “I feel that I am representing myself as a musician, but I’m also representing Santa Cruz. I want to do something positive. I don’t want to be scaring little kids.”
Even though Lima is not a kid person himself, he likes to entertain them and leave smiles on their faces.
“Little kids, I see their eyes get really big and I think they’re going to cry, so I try to wave at them. I try to establish trust,” he said.
Four years ago when Lima was performing, a 3-year-old girl named Emily showed up with a little accordion and started playing next to him. When her father asked Lima to come to Emily’s birthday party, he showed up to a room full of 4-year-olds with their own accordions. To this day Emily comes to perform with Lima.
Known as “The Great Morgani” by the Santa Cruz community, Frank Lima, 69, has been performing as an accordion extraordinaire for 15 years.
“People want to see the spectacle,” said Lima. “Oh what shoes is he wearing now? I have to create a fashion monster.”
Playing the accordion to entertain others is Lima’s hobby, and he is often spotted on Pacific Avenue, or at farmers markets. With 42 accordions, 130 costumes and over 1,200 songs, every performance is different.
One of Lima’s favorite parts of being a street performer is seeing the crowd react to his songs and his all-out costumes.
“I always feel that the crowd is entertaining me,” he said. “I love watching peoples’ reactions.”
Lima isn’t just like any street performer. Standing atop a mini-stage on Pacific Avenue, Lima dons a full-body costume of crazy patterns and intricate accessories.
“I just wanted to have this look and get more elaborate,” he said. “I have a lot of creative energy.”
Covered with about 100 cones, his “making a point” costume that he made for a Santa Cruz fashion show is one of Lima’s most memorable. The cool colors – turquoise, cobalt blue and magenta – react to fluorescent lights.
Although they sometimes take up to 100 hours of work, Lima said, “My passion is the costumes. The music is very easy for me.”
On Saturday at the Willow Glen Farmers Market, Lima wore his “Flower Powered” outfit, featuring a coral hibiscus flower fabric that covered his body and accordion as well as a bike.
As a kid, Lima learned how to sew by watching his mother who was a great seamstress, he said. His mother upholstered his U-shaped couch that has about 32 cushions.
“Her stitches were so fine you could wear it inside out,” said Lima. “But you don’t want to see the backside of my costumes.”
“Could I get away with this in Fresno, CA? Or would I want to? I don’t think so,” he said.
Santa Cruz is ripe with artistic minds, expressing themselves in any way possible. When tourists come, Lima said they give him the strangest looks. In the eyes of tourists and locals alike, Lima hopes to represent Santa Cruz in a positive light.
“I want to do the best I can performing,” said Lima. “I feel that I am representing myself as a musician, but I’m also representing Santa Cruz. I want to do something positive. I don’t want to be scaring little kids.”
Even though Lima is not a kid person himself, he likes to entertain them and leave smiles on their faces.
“Little kids, I see their eyes get really big and I think they’re going to cry, so I try to wave at them. I try to establish trust,” he said.
Four years ago when Lima was performing, a 3-year-old girl named Emily showed up with a little accordion and started playing next to him. When her father asked Lima to come to Emily’s birthday party, he showed up to a room full of 4-year-olds with their own accordions. To this day Emily comes to perform with Lima.
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