Each school year, members of the Colonie Central High School Varsity Football Program volunteer their time to visit the K-4 buildings to assist the teachers with the Grade 4 Technology Challenge.
For this challenge, students have to create a structure using only 24 popsicle sticks and some glue. In addition to the common materials used to build the structures, there is also a minimum height requirement that must be met as well. Once the structures are complete, the high school football players systematically add weights until each structure fails by collapsing under the increased pressure of the weights.
Despite the limited set of supplies, it is not uncommon for winning entries to hold more than 100 pounds. In fact, in some instances, the winning structure has held in excess of 200 pounds.
Thanks are in order to the fourth graders who participate in the event, the parents who provide their support at home, the teachers for offering their students this enjoyable learning experience and to the football players for contributing the brute strength needed to repeatedly load and unload the weights throughout the activity.