Thousands Prep for Google/The Citadel’s Lowcountry STEM Event

Storm The Citadel 2016 Brings Science, Technology, Engineering and Math to Life

A record number of teams across South Carolina are preparing for the Sixth Annual Storm The Citadel Trebuchet Competition. The word has spread since 2011 when a dozen teams competed. On Feb. 13, more than 100 teams and 700 competitors will arrive in the Lowcountry joining what will become about 3,000 people either participating in the events or cheering from the sidelines. This year’s event will feature teams from across the Lowcountry and several teams visiting from Richland, Sumter, Darlington and York counties as well as a team from Clemson University.

Each year, teams of K-12, college students, and corporate adult teams gather on Summerall Field to launch their trebuchets. The medieval devices are judged for accuracy, distance, spirit and design. Co-hosted and co-founded by Google and The Citadel’s School of Engineering, the event reinforces the importance of science technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education.

“This event creates a smart, family oriented and fun filled learning environment around STEM education,” said Google’s Jeff Stevenson, a Citadel graduate who founded the event. “STEM education is crucial in today’s job market. We are working to ensure that South Carolina students are prepared to meet the growing needs of tech-based companies,and Storm the Citadel is a great way to encourage students to learn and develop their skills.”

Storm The Citadel 2016 is the largest of several STEM events to take place at The Citadel during the college’s National Engineers Week. The Citadel Physics Department provides free workshops to help teams prepare. Learn more about the STEM Center of Excellence.

E-Week gets new name and new event

The trebuchet competition is just one part of a week of events hosted by The Citadel School of Engineering to support STEM education. The school started E-Week in 2000, and after 16 years is transitioning the name to Storm The Citadel (formerly only used for the trebuchet competition).

Other Storm The Citadel 2016 events include:

• Bridge Competition
• Robotics Competition
• Water Bottle Rocket Competition *NEW* - middle and high school teams will work in their classrooms to design compressed air water bottle launchers and rockets, and will then use them on competition day to see which rockets travel furthest down the field.
• Engineering design day with Girl Scout troops (invitation only)
• Citadel School of Engineering and Charleston Engineers Joint Council sponsor Lowcountry Engineering Awards Banquet