London Students Launch Ambitious Pumpkin Catapult Project

Two seventh-grade students from Wortley Road Public School in London, Ontario, have taken their annual school project to new heights by constructing a massive trebuchet designed to hurl pumpkins into the sky. The innovative duo, Casper Desparois and Connor Schwartz, have set their sights on breaking the school’s record for both the size and distance of their pumpkin launcher.

Having watched previous students create catapults for the school’s annual pumpkin smashing event, the boys were inspired to design their own. With the help of Connor’s father, Dave Schwartz, the trio developed a plan and embarked on a three-week construction journey. “Connor came home and said, ‘Hey, let’s build a catapult!’ And I smiled, and we started,” Dave recounted.

The students followed their custom design closely, ultimately mounting the trebuchet on a garden trailer for improved mobility. During the process, Casper highlighted the educational aspect of the project, stating, “We’re kind of learning about getting hands-on and geometry, weight physics, and all this other stuff.” The excitement of launching a ten-pound pumpkin hundreds of feet in the air was palpable, with Dave noting, “It’s pretty exciting when you’re launching a 10-pound pumpkin.”

Despite their enthusiasm and preparation, the first attempt to launch a pumpkin did not go as planned. A winch cable snapped, causing the pumpkin to veer off course during its launch. “I mean, things don’t work out,” Dave acknowledged. “It’s trial and error.” The group remains optimistic, especially with a significant competition scheduled for Thursday, October 5, 2023.

“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 make their mark during the competition, and even if they face further setbacks, they find comfort in knowing that all participants in the food-related event will receive a consolation prize. “My favourite pie is pumpkin,” Casper remarked, contemplating the potential use of any leftover pumpkins.

With their ambitious project and competitive spirit, Casper and Connor are poised to bring excitement to the annual event while also learning valuable lessons in teamwork, engineering, and scientific principles. As the competition approaches, the community watches with anticipation to see how far their pumpkin catapult will go.