Cambria Heights High School took first place in the 2021 Chain Reaction Contraption Contest

Several other schools also impress judges of STEM competition at Carnegie Science Center

On Dec. 10, 2021, a team of students from Cambria Heights High School took first place in the 2021 Chain Reaction Contraption Contest, powered by Westinghouse Electric Company and presented in partnership with Carnegie Science Center.

Approximately 215 students from 28 high schools in the Pittsburgh region participated in the annual competition, which challenges students to build a machine that accomplishes a simple task using a series of 20 or more steps. This year, students created contraptions that successfully completed this year’s challenge, “Turn the Page”.

The first-place project from Cambria Heights – titled “The Office” – completed a series of steps using paper clip ramps, a mouse trap, dominoes, and common office supplies to turn a notebook page.

The contraptions could not rely on electricity from a plug to power their steps and often relied completely on mechanical power. Teams were judged on a variety of factors, including the reliability of the contraption, how well it fit the theme, how long it took to reset it for a second run, creativity, presentation, and the progress reports teams sent in before the competition day.

Students from Hempfield Area High School and Brentwood High School took second and third place, respectively. In addition, judges chose winners of the following special awards:

• Cambria Heights High School — Longest Successfully Executed Contraption, sponsored by Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
• Greater Altoona Career Technical Center — Rookie of the Year, sponsored by Carnegie Science Center
• Hempfield Area High School — Best Presentation, sponsored by Carnegie Mellon University
• Montour High School — Most Green, sponsored by ALCOSAN
• Moon Area High School (Team 2) — Most Efficient Reset, sponsored by Carnegie Science Center
• Cambria Heights High School — Most Innovative, sponsored by Jones Day
• Franklin Regional Senior High School — Best Execution of a Theme, sponsored by Kennywood

For more than 20 years, Westinghouse has provided generous sponsorship and volunteer support for the Chain Reaction Contraption Contest supporting education with a focus on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as part of the company’s Charitable Giving Program.

Photos and video from the competition are available upon request. Please contact Kaitlyn Zurcher at ZurcherK@CarnegieScienceCenter.org for more information.

About Carnegie Science Center
Carnegie Science Center is dedicated to inspiring learning and curiosity by connecting science and technology with everyday life. By making science both relevant and fun, the Science Center’s goal is to increase science literacy in the region and motivate young people to seek careers in science and technology. One of the four Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh, the Science Center is Pittsburgh’s premier science exploration destination, reaching more than 700,000 people annually through its hands-on exhibits, camps, classes, and off-site education programs.

Accessibility: Features for All
Carnegie Science Center welcomes all visitors. We work to assist visitors with disabilities in obtaining reasonable and appropriate accommodations, and in supporting equal access to services, programs, and activities. We welcome visitors in wheelchairs on the deck of our USS Requin (SS 481) submarine. Below-deck visits require full mobility. Hearing assistance devices are available for The Rangos Giant Cinema. Please ask when you buy your ticket.

Please note that requests for accommodations should be made at least two weeks prior to your visit. For specific questions about wheelchairs, strollers, or other programmatic or equipment needs, see the ticket counter located on the first floor of the main building or contact the Operations Department at 412.237.1641 or info@carnegiesciencecenter.org.

About Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh
Founded by Andrew Carnegie in 1895, Carnegie Museums of Pittsburgh is a family of four dynamic, distinctive museums: Carnegie Museum of Art, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Science Center, and The Andy Warhol Museum. The museums reach 1.5 million people a year through exhibitions, educational programs, outreach activities, and special events.

About Westinghouse Electric Company is shaping the future of carbon-free energy by providing safe, innovative nuclear technologies to utilities globally. Westinghouse supplied the world’s first commercial pressurized water reactor in 1957 and the company’s technology is the basis for nearly one-half of the world’s operating nuclear plants. For over 130 years, innovation makes Westinghouse the preferred partner for technologies covering the complete nuclear energy life cycle. For more information, visit www.westinghousenuclear.com and follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.