Hall students win first in speed in IVCC Edible Car Contest

Teams of Hall calculus students won first and third in the speed competition in the eighth annual contest, which IVCC hosts in celebration of National Engineering Week.

This year’s fastest vehicle was designed and built by Olivia Brandner, Jacquelyn Petzel, Alex Olivares and Sam Rizzo, under the team name “The Uncle Worms.” The third-place car was built by the “Going Cakeless” team of Joe Parochetti, Rebekah Dagraedt and Abney Bernardini. Math teacher Jill Bruner advised the students.

Last year, Hall students swept the speed category, but this year, a pair of IVCC students, Kevin Smith and Logan Koepke, took second place, racing under the name “Fire Breathing Rubber Duckies.”

An IVCC student team “Smokin’ Hot Babes,” which finished in the middle of the pack for speed, was the overall winner, taking a first place in three categories: design, detail and prospective engineers. The team is comprised of Marsha Weidert, Katherine Duda and Amber Wade.

A Putnam County High School team was second overall, winning a first in creativity and first in the high school category. That team, “Cannoli Buggy,” included Loralee Wilson, Maddi Loiselle and Katie Alleman, and was advised by biology teacher Andrea Skinner.

“Our purpose is to demonstrate that (STEM), or science, technology, engineering and math, can be creative and fun,” said contest organizer Dorene Peres, program coordinator of computer-aided design at IVCC. And according to participants, the contest succeeded.

“Eating the leftovers” emerged as a real plus for some participants.

And the challenges, similar to past years, were “figuring out the axles” and “keeping it from breaking.”

Many of the participants said they really enjoyed the teamwork involved and seeing the vehicle work. And a plus, according to one participant, was: “Even though our car got into an accident, the passengers are okay.”

While the speed contest continues to be the highlight of the event, the 58 participants on 18 teams competed for prizes in eight other categories. One vehicle, produced by the “Veggie Wheels,” wasn’t able to slide down the track, even with a little help. But it won a first in nutrition and second in design and in detail. That vehicle, one of the top overall winners, was designed by IVCC’s Billie Scamen, Cassie Platt and Jeni Shute.