Students in Mrs. Kennedy’s Intro to Engineering class recently examined an issue extremely relevant to the New Orleans community – hurricane-resistant housing. They worked on creating a prototype with a limited number of supplies – four sheets of construction paper, four plastic straws, and tape. They developed designs to withstand the force of strong winds. After building their homes, a series of fans put their durability to the test. The class discussed which designs fared the best – and the worst – and analyzed the reasons why. They will next modify their designs to address the critical need for flood protection.