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Media Credit: DuVale Riley Tim Goeckner, a junior studying mining engineering, sets up the production efficiency event as Luke Bloklein, from Waterloo high school, tries to beat his competitor by scooping coal on a plate during Engineering Day Tuesday afternoon at the Engineering Complex.

A wing, B wing and all wings of the Engineering Building and its courtyards were invaded by high school students in search of points that could earn them a mystery prize at the end of the 27th Annual Engineering Day.

Thirteen engineering organizations each sponsored a game for the SIU engineering mind games event. Organizations such as National Association of Industrial Technology and Tau Beta Pi chose a student to show high school students how much fun engineering can be with projects from various competitions.

Precision pacing, the egg drop and the robotic challenge were some of the more popular events in past Engineering Days at SIU.

Giggles that could no longer be held in erupted as one student crashed a manipulated RC car into a vent. Tyler Madding, a junior from Decatur studying industrial technology, laughed along and assured one of many students having trouble navigating the little truck they were doing fine.

About an hour after the events began Madding said he had already given points to at least 100 students.

"The crowd slows down then really picks up," Madding said. "I'm having a blast."

Carbondale Community High School juniors Kara Gilbert, Kirsten Kennedy and Margaret Rendleman hurried in from the cold after launching a rocket-an empty two-liter bottle filled with water.

"It's interesting to see the campus and interact with people that go here," Kennedy said. However, all the girls agreed that because they are from Carbondale they would rather go to school outside of their hometown.

"If my parents moved away I'd probably stay," Gilbert said.

Over 400 students from 16 schools participated in the events.

Associate Engineering Dean John Nicklow said it is national engineering week across the country and this is the only celebration in the southern part of the state.

Engineering Day at SIU aims to introduce high school students throughout Illinois not just to the engineering programs, but to SIU as a whole.

"It's our opportunity to reach out to them and have them participate in some fun games and see how engineering can be fun for them," Nicklow said.

Jakina Hill can be reached at 536-3311 or jhill@siu.edu.

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