Earlier this month the South Pigeon Lake Fire Department (SPLFD) showed off some ladder skills not for training – but rather an egg drop competition.
On Friday May 12, the Yeoford homeschool co-op visited the SPLFD for a firehouse tour and while they were there, local firefighters helped the kids test out the limits of their egg drop contraptions for their egg drop competition.
From the top of the firetruck to climbing the later to the roof of the firehouse, 22 kids’ eggs survived even the highest drop.
The Yeoford homeschool co-op is a group of 45 kids who meet weekly at the Yeoford hall. Parent Krista Wheale says the group focuses on fun field trips, group experiences, science, outdoor skills and personal development.
Her kids Caleb, Chloe and Piper all competed in the egg drop.
As part of their steam themed month which focuses on engineering and physics the kids were challenged to create a way to protect an egg as it was dropped from a height.
“They could use whatever materials they chose,” said Wheale.
“We had straws, parachutes, balloons, boxes, amazon packages, a tire and even a loaf of bread.”
With the help of SPLFD firefighters Brent Bortnick and Clay Lesoway, both of whom are also homeschool dads, the students got to try dropping their eggs from the side of the firetruck.
Approximately 30 kid’s eggs survived the first task.
Next the firefighters took the eggs and their protective structures up to the top of their tallest ladders where 22 kid’s eggs survived the great fall.
Wheale says the kids did amazing and even more had their eggs survive the top height than what was expected. Because of this they did a random draw for the 22 at the end to determine a winner for a movie gift card.
“I think the kids had a great time doing the competition and it was a great learning experience.”
Coming up next for the Yeoford Homeschool Coop kids is the youth business fair on June 17 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Yeoford Hall. The kids spend eight weeks doing an entrepreneurial course with an expert from Calgary then work on production creation, marketing, pricing, customer avatars and creating businesses.
They hope to see the community there to show off their work.
