We woke up to blue skies, and we made our way into the conference center for breakfast. Fueled by eggs, waffles, and cereal, we are ready for the exciting day ahead of us. Today, we will learn our groups and the project.

After we finished breakfast and ran through the dish line, we gathered in the center of the conference center to learn the groups for the upcoming week. This week's groups are:

Team Piki:

Project Leads: Jack and Ara
Spencer
Katherine
Hunter
Mads
Vince
Alice
Nate
Arianna

Team Nooi:

Project Leads: Kaitlyn and PK
Savan
Jasper
Olivia
Luke
Onion
Eisen
Victoria
Zachary

With groups announced, we split into them and developed group agreements.

Once ideas are gathered and written down, it's time to sign the agreements.

With group agreements signed, it's finally time for the big project reveal. This week's project is ... *drumroll* ... Castle Siege! Our queen, Caroline, has issued a challenge to the Sun Kingdom and the Forest Kingdom with a reward of a large sum. The two teams must each build a castle (defense) and a weapon (offense) to prepare for a battle on Friday. Points are awarded to each team for the castle's size and style and the weapon's accuracy. Points can be taken away for using more than the allotted amount of certain materials such as 1/2 inch plywood.

Both teams are excited to begin designing, but we first need to decide which team will be the Sun Kingdom and the Forest Kingdom. For that, we turn to the third rule of Tinkering School (Roshambo). Luke represents Nooi and Hunter represents Piki. Luke wins the duel and decides with his team to be the Forest Kingdom.

It's now time to design and throw around ideas in the newly formed teams.

Arianna and Alice sketch castle ideas.

Eisen and Luke discuss castle ideas for Nooi.

Filled with ideas and ambition, we head up the hill to continue designing and start setting the first pieces of the project into motion.

Team Piki elects to build a ballista powered by ropes twisted tightly (called a torsion spring), and for their castle, they are taking inspiration from the unicorn.

Jack, Hunter, Nate, and Mads look into using wheels as part of their ballista.

In the woods, team Nooi decides to build off of the trees. They are aiming high with plans to build two stories above the forest floor. For their siege weapon, Nooi wants to build a ballista too. However, they plan to harness the energy of bungee cords in their design.

Katherine measures an existing structure as a potential starting point for Piki's castle, but because it will cost the team 50 points to use, they decide against using it.

As we aren't allowed to drill into the trees, we have to use the strategy of lashing.

Zachary assembles a ladder to reach the top of a tree Nooi wants to explore.

Jasper and PK work on building a platform that Nooi's ballista will rest upon.

Vince and Katherine start work on the base of Piki's castle.

By the end of the day, they have a foundation for their tower.

In the midst of all the work there is still time to play.

Onion decides to make a bow and arrow with a stick she found and a piece of bungee.

Worn out, we leave our projects and make our way back to base camp to eat and play. Riding carts down the hill is a highlight for many campers.

Unfortunately our cart adventures end with fixes needed. Spencer and Zachary look into the problem

We finish the day exhausted and retire to the yurts for the night. Tomorrow, we will start a whole new day of ideas and progress.

TSO-C/D - Day 2 - The Queen's Challenge