What an incredible way to cap off the school year! Our 8th grade class was selected to design and build a miniature golf hole that will be featured as part of the Erie County Fair's miniature golf course.
The Design Process
The journey began with all students submitting their creative drawings for consideration. After careful deliberation, the class chose Nora Bloom's fantastic design featuring a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, and concession stands - perfectly capturing the spirit of the county fair!
Engineering Excellence
When we realized we needed expert guidance, Mrs. Meindenbauer reached out to her friend Andy Urban, a professional engineer who became our project hero. Andy went above and beyond, volunteering over 80 hours of his time to:
- Create a detailed 3D CAD model from Nora's sketches
- Cut all the wood pieces with precision
- Coordinate laser cutting for the intricate Ferris wheel
- Guide the students through the construction process
Hands-On Learning
On Friday, June 5th, everything came together beautifully! The 8th graders experienced:
- Engineering career exploration with Andy sharing insights about the field
- Hands-on construction using real power tools
- Collaborative teamwork as every student contributed to drilling, screwing, and assembling
- Artistic expression through painting concession stands in Art class
Pure Joy
Between construction activities, students embraced being kids - playing balloon volleyball, dancing, singing, building forts, playing thread the needle, and enjoying each other's friendship. These moments of pure joy and laughter made the day truly special.
This amazing project was coordinated by Mrs. Meindenbauer and Ms. Renee. We cannot thank Mr. Andy Urban enough for his incredible generosity, expertise, and dedication to our students.
Every Notre Dame Academy 8th grader will be represented on this golf hole at the Erie County Fair - what a legacy to leave behind!
We cant thank Mr Andy Urban enough for all the time he put into this project!!! Thank you to Mrs Cerullo and Ms Renee for all the priming, painting and sealing of the pieces.