Greg Gels, principal at DocKey project-based learning high school, introduced two eleventh-grade students who presented a year-long world history project on ancient catapults and demonstrated the build they completed.

The students, Braden Bass and Aden Danforth, described their driving question — how artifacts from ancient Rome reflect the culture, technology and social values of their time — and explained how their research covered historical use, types of siege engines and the evolution of the technology into modern artillery. They identified three categories: the traditional catapult, the ballista (which functions like a giant arrow launcher) and the trebuchet (which uses a weighted arm to throw large projectiles), and showed photos and a timeline of their construction process.

Gels said student work drives DocKey’s in-school marketplace and skills instruction: “My name is Greg Gels. I’m the principal at DocKey project based learning high school,” he told the board while introducing the presenters. He described elements of the school’s instructional focus and noted the students built products in a business class and also harvested honey from an active beehive used in student enterprises.

The students explained technical setbacks and iterative improvements: their first rope selection limited range, and they lengthened and strengthened the rope to improve the arm’s motion. A board member suggested turning the build into a community demonstration; presenters said that had been discussed previously but staffing changes had delayed plans for a public event.

The students said their work addressed district priority standards, including collaboration, communication and analysis of primary and secondary sources, and that much of the construction and additional research occurred outside class time. Gels noted that staff and community donations helped secure materials when students chose larger builds.

The presentation concluded with board members and staff praising the students’ process-based learning and encouraging them to pursue expanded demonstrations and curricular connections to math, physics and materials science in future projects.