Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Fall 2017 | Page 9

Christian Taylor ‘18, the drone flew high above Hill Stadium and video provided by a GoPro mounted on the drone recorded the entire experience. Christian, the son of Chris Taylor, is a certified remote pilot by the FAA. He says "I have been working to train fellow students how to safely fly and maintain aerial systems. Building the drone was a collaborative effort between all of the students this year and I believe that everyone enjoyed this class and all of the projects associated.” That day he certainly succeeded in opening up TA to flight. Geoff Slack has been teaching the Honors Introduction to Engineering class since 2014. Slack holds a B.S. in civil engineering from Tufts University and two master’s degrees: an M.S. in math education and an M.S. in mathematics from Salem State College. In addition to this project with Viking UAS, Slack has partnered with other businesses to give students hands-on experience with engineering. For the past two years, students have completed a boat-design project in partnership with Compass Project, a non- profit company from Biddeford, and Chase Small Craft, a boat design company located in Saco. He hopes to expand these partnerships further to offer even more opportunities to STEM students at TA. Slack appreciates the support for new projects that he receives from Thornton Academy. “TA is open to trying new ideas out in the classroom, like the boat model design and build project with Clint Chase of Engine. The administration at TA recognizes the value of authentic learning experiences. Partnering with a professional expands the walls of the classroom to see what is possible and inspires students to think about what they may want to study in college and beyond.” Chris Taylor and Viking UAS are looking to develop a learning lab near the Thornton Academy campus to offer even more chances for students to work with resources such as 3D printers, powerful computers, robots, and CNC machines. This lab would also include academic advisors who could mentor the students as they learn and experiment with engineering principles. Geoff Slack, Ryan Kyle '18, Christian Taylor '18, and Douglas Peaslee '18 pose with the drone they built. Projects like these offer students an opportunity to see their lessons in action. For engineering, it is paramount to have project-based learning experiences that model what professional engineers design, build, and operate on a daily basis. Douglas Peaslee ‘18 recognizes that Honors Introduction to Engineering “is a class that goes more into the theory and mathematics behind engineering while also allowing students to apply these to practical scenarios. We learned about mechanics of materials and stress and strain.” Slack hopes that for his students, these lessons will translate well in college and future careers. Know of a business or organization that might be interested in partnering with a class at TA? Contact Linda Roth, Career Pathways Coordinator at [email protected] or 207-602-4464 9