Falcon Cove’s team of top science students; Charles Russo, Andrew Lacayo, Daniel Cai, Stella Huang, Angelina Lin, and Julie Ye competed in county-wide science competitions. They worked tirelessly and spent time after school perfecting their inventions, ensuring the win for The Cove.

Team Leader Charles Russo describes his experiences on the Science Competition Team. “Participating in the Science Competition was great. I am interested in making something functional and learning the real-world skills behind each project. The knowledge of STEM and engineering I learned is great for future projects,” Russo explains.

Eighth grader Stella Huang reveals her thoughts on the competition and the process behind it. “The most rewarding part is being able to make your project fully-functional,” Huang explains. “I worked on the Trac Bridge, helped with the bionic hand, and the Falcon Cove SECME Banner. I really enjoyed working on the Trac Bridge because we were able to make a successful model that held up multiple textbooks, in which we ended up placing second!”

Competing in four different events, the team returned triumphant in all. From a Trac Bridge to a Bionic hand- their dedication and enthusiasm were reflected during the competition. One of the main projects they worked on was a fully functional prosthetic hand. Designed by the team, each part of the hand was 3D printed and brought to life using wires and electricity. The bionic hand was capable of opening and closing fingers, and even holding a cup full of water! Created to be a cheaper and equally effective alternative to prosthetic hands, their creation was hands down amazing. A Trac Bridge was another project of theirs. After weeks of designing, planning, and sketching blueprints, the Science Competition Team created a balsa wood bridge capable of sustaining 77 pounds! Their next project, an FPL Generator, was a small-scale functioning generator designed to produce as many volts as possible. The generator was created solely from wood, magnets, and metal. 

Falcon Cove placed 1st throughout Broward County for the SECME competitions. 

Currently, the team is working to create a life-size trebuchet, which stands at over 6 feet tall. Composed of wood beams, the trebuchet uses basic elements of physics to launch an object 180 feet far. With help from Science Competition Teacher, Mrs. Wiltgen, Geometry Teacher Hymes, and Biology Teacher Ms. Velez, their trebuchet is well under the works. 

Eighth-grader Daniel Cai was a driving force behind the science competitions. “Science Comp is a lot of documentation from the planning to the building,” Cai states. He enjoys being a part of the competition team. “It is great for teamwork, and has real-world application skills,” he concludes.

Before beginning the exciting process of cutting, shaping, and assembling the trebuchet, months of planning were required. Together, with the help of Geometry Teacher Hymes, the Science Comp team designed the plan of the trebuchet- from the angle of launch to the numbers behind the launch distance. 

Science Competition Team Member Andrew Lacayo talks about his time with the team. “My favorite part of joining Science Competition has been getting to know and working with the team,” Lacayo expresses. “I enjoyed the process of making the trebuchet the most. It was one of the most creative and unique projects we have done. I am looking forward to preparing for next year’s competitions in high school and excited to start some summer projects.”

Falcon Cove’s Science Competition Team made our school immensely proud. Congratulations to Mrs. Wiltgen and these incredible scientists! Science is the key to the future, and thanks to them, we are one step closer.