As Design It, Build It, Launch It campers made their way outside Reed Intermediate School on July 12, members of Newtown Hook & Ladder Company # 1 were waiting with an extended ladder truck for them. The campers were carrying handmade structures they had designed to hold an egg and protect it from being cracked or splattered when dropped.newtown.schooldesk.net/departments/summercampsandprograms

The firefighters were ready to assist.

The two-week Design It, Build It, Launch It camp was offered through Newtown Continuing Education, and it ended on July 14. Rick Lowry, a teacher in Fairfield, oversaw the camp. According to a description for the camp, students between fifth and eighth grade researched and designed engineering projects.

Mr Lowry said along with the Egg Drop experiment students in the camp learned about catapults, hydraulic robots, and more.

For the Egg Drop event students designed and built their own container contraptions. Camper Andy Hong said he used cardboard, wooden sticks, and tape to create his design. Camper Zaara Adam said she used cardboard, foam, pool noodles, and bubble wrap.

One by one the student designs were sent up a rope to firefighter Tom Cassin, who dropped each contraption from the truck's extended ladder.

"I think the egg will break," Zaara predicted. Just moments later, her design was the first that was dropped for the day's test. After unwrapping the egg from all of its protections, she enthusiastically cried, "It survived!"

All of the campers' designs kept the eggs intact this year.

.More information about Newtown Continuing Education and its summer programs is available on its website,