Imagine if something you created unexpectedly turned up in the pages of a popular magazine.
That’s what happened to Oxford High School senior Brian McCormick and junior Bryan Beaver when two of their computer-generated designs graced page 86 of the March/April 2005 issue of ReadyMade ? a bimonthly do-it-yourself project magazine that emphasizes inventing (or re-inventing) and environmental consciousness
McCormick and Beaver are both three-year students in the Computer Aided Design (CAD) class at OHS taught by David Okasinski, who happens to be a ReadyMade subscriber.
A while back Beaver and McCormick, along with the rest of the CAD class, sent in designs to ReadyMade depicting how lumber from an ordinary wooden shipping pallet could be reused to build something else.
Each issue of ReadyMade magazine contains what it calls a ‘MacGyver Challenge? to its readers to reinvent an ordinary object (such as milk crates or Styrofoam packing peanuts) and turn it into something useful or creative.
Using a program called ‘Inventor? ? part of the AutoDesk line of software ? McCormick showed how to turn the wooden pallet into a toolbox.
‘I wanted to make something simple, functional and useful,? McCormick said.
Beaver went in an entirely different direction and redesigned the simple pallet as a trebuche ? a medieval siege weapon similar to a catapult. ‘I wanted to do something creative. Something nobody else would choose,? Beaver said.
When they learned their designs were featured in the magazine, McCormick said, ‘We were ecstatic. We couldn’t believe it.?
‘We were pretty surprised,? Beaver said. ‘They didn’t let us know in advance.?
‘You never know where you’re work is going to show up, so try your hardest in everything you do. It might pay off in the long run,? Beaver added.
Okasinski said he’s ‘real proud? of his students and impressed with their talents.
ReadyMade magazine noted, ‘High school students really shouldn’t be this smart. How will we ever feel superior again??
Beaver is considering attending either the University of Michigan or Kettering to study engineering. He wishes to pursue a career in industrial design. ‘I like coming up with new ideas and improving on old ones,? Beaver said. ‘I’ve always liked to take things apart and figure out how they work, how to improve them.?
McCormick has been accepted to both Michigan State University and Kettering.
Although he hasn’t yet decided which school to attend, he plans to study mechanical engineering. Inspired by his dad who’s an auto mechanic, McCormick said he wants to design cars for a living.