Why is this event being held in Conover?

The Newton-Conover STEM Middle School is a leader in science, technology, engineering and math. A trebuchet is a piece of artillery from the Middle Ages, yet the physics applications have never changed. The City of Conover has become a national leader in developing a strong workforce because of such programs as this one. Additionally, Conover is a proud home to the Manufacturing Solutions Center, a program of Catawba Valley Community College. Companies worldwide use that facility to improve their products and develop new ones. Local entrepreneurs use it to launch new products and grow the local job market.

So this all fits together - STEM education, a strong manufacturing heritage, modern technology and job growth.

Who are we chunking on the national level?

President - Donald J. Trump (Rep), Hillary Clinton (Dem), Gary Johnson (Lib)
V-P           - Michael R. Pence (Rep), Tim Kaine (Dem), William Weld (Lib)

Why are we using two different pumpkins for the presidential race? Well, think about it. Some people are voting for the #1 person, while others are voting for the #2 person. We need to see which one will actually be the driver in the race. We add up the distances to determine the winner.

Are more people going to vote for the V-P than the Presidential candidate? Or, is it the other way around? Which one will actually carry the ballot?

US Senate - Richard Burr (Rep), Deborah K. Ross (Dem), Sean Haugh (Lib)

US House (District 10 only) - Patrick McHenry (Rep), Andy Millard (Dem)

This is the first time this event has ever included the Libertarian party. Why? Well, the candidates just never did much. This time, Johnson/Weld are on all 50 states' tickets. However, they haven't gotten their message out there, so we're not giving them as much weight as the others.

They haven't spent much money. They have very few offices and you can barely find a sign for them. So, we're not giving them the home field advantage. Chances are that the real race will be between the two regular parties - for this year. But, who really knows?

The pressure is on ...

In 2012, a cushaw gourd used a secret weapon to go the distance.

The pumpkin heads are feeling the pressure. Tomorrow is the big day. The seeds are thinking last minute strategies to win ....

At the same time, Vice-President Joe Biden is in Charlotte tomorrow. Secret Service officials ask media to be set up by 11 a.m. so they can be given clearance. He will speak later in the afternoon, but that takes media resources away from the pumpkin chunking. BOO!

The job of the counter weight ....

These are weights on the trebuchet.
When the cable is pulled, these go down - thereby thrusting the sling high up into the air - and shooting the political pumpkin head far down the field.
Hey, you may want to call these "the voters."

Political pumpkin chunking - seeing engineering in action!

The year of the "'hanging chads" ...

The story about political signs ...

From 2012

Where are the political signs? There just aren't that many any more.

One of the things we do for this event is to dress it up with lots of political signs. Each year, we find that local precincts across the state usually ask for a "donation" for the presidential and governor signs because those particular races put their money in TV ads, not in signs for the yard.

This year, we found that some precincts were charging for all signs, particularly the Democrat offices. One said that the only free sign was for the candidate for NC Commissioner of Agriculture.

Local party organizations seem to be using the signs as a fundraising item. So procuring them for our event gets more difficult each year.

Add that there are very few Libertarian offices in North Carolina. In the Catawba County area, where this event is being located, the Libertarians work out of their homes, with no office - and very few signs.

Oh, the process to become a "political pumpkin head" ....

Each pumpkin is weighed. The weight is marked on the bottom. When the Newton-Conover STEM Middle School Art students go to draw the candidates' portraits on the pumpkins, they'll know that the weight for each race has to be the same. That way, we have a "fair and balanced" chunking.

These pumpkins really did want to be considered. But, they were all too small. We chalk that up to a lack of experience in the political world. They may not have had the financial or party backing.

These pumpkins met the challenge. They fell within the appointed weight range. You may construe that as having the "right connections."

You can say that these pumpkins lined up to pay their "filing fee." Now, they're off and running!

In real life, we often hear people say, "Are those the only ones in this country/state/county who are willing to run ...." for whatever office. The process of finding someone to run for office is an arduous task. Many would like to, but few actually do.

That scenario is reflected in this year's pumpkin population. We use regular pie pumpkins, but, they have to be a certain weight to meet the mathematical criteria established to operate the trebuchet. A 3-pounder does a pretty good job.

When the pumpkin is shot out of the canon, you really want it to plop and splatter. That way, we can get a more accurate measurement. If the pumpkin is too hard or too small, it will bounce, and bounce and roll and roll and trying to determine the point of impact is difficult. So, we need a messy pumpkin.

Thanks to Walmart and Food Lion, we were able to get the number of pumpkins we need - at the correct weight. Now some are fat and squatty. Some tall and thin. But, each one has been weighed so we can make sure our "exit poll" is fair and balanced.

About Newton-Conover STEM Middle School ...

Newton-Conover STEM Middle School's mission is to provide a caring environment that empowers students to be successful. We believe good thinkers can solve problems and problem solvers have the capacity to do anything. 

We try to remove barriers of what traditional learning looks like by having opportunities to plearn (play and learn).  

Students in all grade-levels have access using two different makerspaces, working on a passionate project through Genius Hour, participating in quarterly STEM Connection Nights, weekly clubs, and learning through Project Based Learning Units. We hope that by creating an environment of that broadens, creative thinking, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration there will be new dimensions for knowledge to be built and rooted. 

Educational experience ....

This is a 2012 photo of the pumpkin head of former Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory after it was shot out of the trebuchet. In 2012, his pumpkin head predicted a loss to the Democratic contender, Walter Dalton. Oh yes, these pumpkins develop their own "human" personalities!

We're not just shooting pumpkins. Students are having fun learning.

They learn how to draw a portrait on a sphere. Normally, that's something art students draw on a flat piece of paper. Did you know that cartography is an up-and-coming career option? Did you know that the designers of hot air balloons draw on a sphere, too?

Students learn about mathematical equations involving speed, height, arch, weight and more. Engineers need to have those skills.

Social studies students learn about the political process.

All the students learn a little about the candidates. Oh, we love to make learning fun!