London Students Aim High with Innovative Pumpkin-Hurling Trebuchet

Two seventh-grade students from Wortley Road Public School in London, Ontario, have taken their annual project to new heights by constructing a large trebuchet designed to launch pumpkins. Casper Desparois and Connor Schwartz, inspired by previous students, aimed to break records for both size and distance in this year’s pumpkin hurling competition.

The boys collaborated on the design, seeking the assistance of Connor’s father, Dave Schwartz, to bring their vision to life. “Connor came home and said, ‘Hey, let’s build a catapult!’ And I smiled, and we started,” Dave recalled. Over the course of three weeks, they meticulously built the custom trebuchet, which they mounted on a garden trailer for mobility.

Throughout the construction process, the students applied principles of physics and geometry. “We’re kind of learning about getting hands-on and geometry, weight physics, and all this other stuff,” Casper explained. Dave added, “It’s pretty exciting when you’re launching a 10-pound pumpkin hundreds of feet.”

On the day of their first launch attempt, the trebuchet performed as expected, but a mishap occurred when a winch cable snapped, sending the pumpkin sideways instead of soaring through the air. “I mean, things don’t work out,” Dave reflected. “It’s trial and error.” Despite the setback, the team remains optimistic, with a big competition scheduled for October 5, 2023, at their school.

“We’re coming back. We’ve got a lot more pumpkins to launch and smash. So, Thursday will be the day,” Dave affirmed. The boys are determined to achieve a successful launch and secure victory. However, they also take comfort in knowing that all participants in the food competition will receive a consolation prize. “My favourite pie is pumpkin,” Casper noted, contemplating the potential for using leftover pumpkins.

As excitement builds for the upcoming event, the innovative spirit of these young students exemplifies creativity and teamwork. Their dedication not only reflects their engineering skills but also their commitment to learning through hands-on experience. With the competition just days away, all eyes will be on their trebuchet as they prepare for another attempt at record-breaking pumpkin launches.