Solanco High School students earned two top awards in the state science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competition. The Solanco students' Classroom Lockdown Assistance Device (CLAD) received the award for the Survivability division. It also won a People's Choice Award for Best Safety-Related Project, as voted on by the other student teams.
The CLAD they invented is a PVC cylinder that mounts above a classroom door. In the event of a school intruder emergency, the CLAD would release a curtain at the door to block the intruder's view into the classroom. A teacher or student would not need to approach the door to pull down the curtain. The curtain is made of a synthetic fiber that is designed to deflect or fragment bullets fired into it. The CLAD also locks the door by removing the small magnet that teachers place on the door when needed to prevent the door from locking, and the CLAD provides additional reinforcement by cinching the door shut at the hinge typically found at the tops of doors in classrooms.
While in Harrisburg for the state STEM competition, Solanco students visited the National Civil War Museum and met with Pennsylvania Education Secretary Pedro Rivera.
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