October 12, 2023
THE LITTLE HAWK
THELITTLEHAWK.COM
5 NEWS
STEM CLUB
Planning begins for shed project at first meeting The group met with a Girls Soccer parent volunteer and structural engineer Matt Mettemeyer for a first meeting By Kate Meis Blueprints are laid out on the tables of Mr. Crawford’s classroom as the STEM club hosts a go-getting inaugural meeting. STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and math, is all about problem-solving and that is just the new club’s goal. “We’re still growing, our goal is just allow people that are interested in STEM or kind of have an extra little budding twinge that [STEM] might be something that they want to go into career wise, It allows them to come and do whatever they want,” Club organizer James Meggitt ‘24 said. Meggitt was inspired to start the club by his experience with engineering in Mr. Crawford’s Principles of Engineering class and other similar classes. Additionally, the interest of his friends encouraged James to make a group with a set time to meet. “So we have overarching projects like this shed and we’re thinking about doing a solar system model throughout our city as well. But if anyone comes with their own small idea, if they want to work on something, we can help them acquire funding, supplies, or support,” Meggitt said. The club is aiming to do larger projects annually or bi-annually,
Structural Engineer Matt Mettemeyer shows STEM Club the blueprints for past City High construction projects. PHOTO BY KATE MEIS
while still keeping up with smaller tasks like taking apart computers. For the STEM club’s first-year and first-ever project, their goal is to design an equipment shed for the women’s soccer team at City High. “We’re going to be designing a shed for the women’s soccer team that will help hold their supplies during practices and when they’re not present. And it’ll be a lot more efficient for them to not have to
move all their stuff back and forth, and will also give us a great experience and a lot of knowledge,” Meggitt said. Matt Mettemeyer, a structural engineer at the architecture and engineering firm Shive-Hattery, got into contact with James about creating a shed for the women’s soccer team after having first-hand experience and knowledge of the team’s necessities as a parent volun-
teer. Now he is working with the club in all steps of designing and planning for the creation of this new structure. “So we haven’t done a whole lot of [Planning] yet, but generally [you] talk it over define the problem, you brainstorm and see possible approaches to that problem that you would make, then you discuss [and] see which of those solutions you think might work
best to fit the problem and its constraints, then you really start us designing and whittling away at your overall plan. In this case construction,” Meggitt said. Meggitt’s goal is to complete this project before he graduates at the end of the year, to stay on track with that ideal deadline the group plans on meeting on Mondays after school in the trophy room and old wrestling room, home of robotics.
BIKE CLUB
Spoked to cycle City High’s new club starts the year strong with its first activities By Claire Hartiwg
Members of Bike Club pose for a photo at Terry Trueblood after a going for a ride before school. PHOTO COURTESY OF SIRI FELKER
Bikers rode on the Clear Creek Trails for one of the club’s rides. PHOTO COURTESY OF SIRI FELKER
As fifth-hour ends and advisory starts, classroom 1401 is filled with students wanting to learn more about the new Biking Club. Students who are novices to biking and cycling experts alike take up every seat available. “It excites me. I really felt like there was a hole in that we didn’t have this club. I felt like it was a need but I wasn’t sure how students would respond and if they would feel the same way. So honestly, I could barely chill myself out enough to like to teach for sixth hour. And I think that what’s cool is that it appeals to many people for many different reasons,” The club’s advisor Mrs. Felker said. The club is made up of a diverse group, from students who bike to school every day to students who don’t know how to ride a bike. Mrs. Felker grew up riding her bike but didn’t start seriously riding until this past spring, “I rode my bike to work every day, I went on other rides and learned how to start fixing it up,” Felker said. She participated in RAGBRAI this
summer and has continued to ride her bike to school every day this fall. “Bike Club is not a racing club. It’s not competitive. It’s not exclusive. It’s really about being just radically joyful and welcoming everybody into a community of people who like to spend time on the ground together,” Felker said. The club will primarily focus on creating a community within City High. Things like sharing biking trails, learning how to fix bikes, and learning how to ride a bike are all to be included in the club’s activities. As for the club’s plans for the future, expect events like bike rides with other students, learning trails around Iowa City to get from place to place, and biking to try some new ice cream spots. A main focus for the club is getting bikes for students who don’t have one. Pairing up with The Bike Library so students can get bikes for free. “We were able to collaborate with the Bike Library in downtown Iowa City to get three sophomores set up with bikes of their own. The
Bike Library is a non-profit bike shop that accepts donated bikes, fixes them up, and checks them out to community members.” Felker said. If those who are given bikes wish to keep them it’s allowed, The Bike Library also provides bike repair lessons after school on Thursdays. “I think that some big needs are going to be infrastructure like we need more space for kids to park bikes, and for kids to park bikes safely. So I’m working with the teacher of a geometry and construction class here to build covered bike sheds with racks.” Felker shared, referencing the recent involvement of the construction classes in working to build projects around the school. The group held their first meeting Wednesday during advisory but anyone interested in joining can find the bike bulletin board near the science hallway. The club’s next meeting as a whole is currently unknown as Mrs. Felker finishes organizing things relating to the club, but students are encouraged to get in contact with her via email or find her in person in room 1401.
