Timberstone displays talent at 2nd open house

Technology, art students showcased

Sixth-grade student Arman Serpen plays the violin at Timberstone Junior High's open house. Included among the technology projects were cars powered by mousetraps, a prosthetic hand, and a catapult.

Art and technology were the emphasis at Timberstone Junior High, as the school held its second annual open house to showcase students' arts and technology projects.

There were tech demonstrations in a hallway, and a choir and string ensemble, respectively, in the cafeteria and on the stair landing. In the lobby, the sixth-grade band played, while yet another string ensemble was booked to perform in the library.

Art teacher Jennifer Bucher said this was the school's big show and took months to plan.

"It encompasses the fine arts and lots more," she said.

Principal Mike Bader greeted students and parents at the expo last week and talked about how accomplished the school's young charges were. He said he was pleased with the way the event turned out.

"The purpose here is to showcase everything the kids have been working on for the whole year in music, technology, and science," he said. "We've had conversations about expanding it next year into some of the other disciplines such as social studies."

Eighth-grade student Julian Liber used the occasion to set up his catapult in a hallway and demonstrate how it could accurately hurl a small ball 12 feet into a container.

"It's powered by rubber bands," he said, adding that accuracy depended on having an exact 90 degree firing angle, a calibration he achieved by using a protractor to make an adjustment before each shot.

Julian said he spent two weeks designing and building the catapult as a technology project and another week testing it.

Joe Dimichelle, Timberstone's technology teacher, said other projects included cars powered by a mousetrap and an air-propelled rocket made from a two-liter plastic bottle. There also was a prosthetic hand.

Mr. Dimichelle stressed that the projects were part of a serious lesson demonstrating principles of science and physics.

Keith Martin, who has two sons in Timberstone, said the event was well worth his time. "I think they've done a wonderful job."