Lowcountry meteorologists manifest medieval might ahead of Storm The Citadel

They may study storms for a living — but they’re not used to actually causing the storms.

But that’s exactly what two meteorologists from Charleston TV stations did to support STEM education and the tenth annual Storm The Citadel event.

Stephanie Sine and Navy assistant participating in the media Storm The Citadel competition
David Dickson, WCBD participating in the media Storm The Citadel competition
The Citadel Navy team participating in the media Storm The Citadel competition

David Dickson (WCBD-TV Count on 2), Stephanie Sine (WCSC-TV Live 5 News), and Sonya Stevens (WCIV-TV ABC News 4) all built their own mini trebuchets to compete against each other in accuracy, distance and spirit.

Unfortunately, Stevens was feeling under the weather on the day of competition, so a Navy team stepped in to battle it out with Dickson and Sine.

The Citadel STEM Center of Excellence provided the meteorologists with the same mini trebuchet kits as are provided to K-5 students, who will be competing in the real Storm The Citadel on Saturday, Feb. 8. Ron Welch, Ph.D., dean of the School of Engineering, helped out as judge and master of ceremonies.

The Citadel Navy team, first place in accuracy
Stephanie Sine, WCSC, first place in distance
David Dickson and photographer Dennis Wayman, WCBD, first place in spirit

In the end, each team walked away with a first-place finish.

The Citadel’s Navy team won in accuracy, Live 5’s Stephanie Sine claimed the prize for distance and Count on 2’s David Dickson clinched the spirit prize. Sine said she stayed up late working on her trebuchet, and her efforts proved worthwhile when she consistently outranged her competition. Dickson went the extra mile with his trebuchet, adding a small Lego figurine to the front — giving him a 100% chance of spirit.

Sonya Stevens, with daughter Weatherly, constructing their trebuchet

Though she wasn’t able to make it for the competition, ABC News 4’s Sonya Stevens enlisted some help building her trebuchet. While she didn’t get to test it out, Stevens was forecasting a victory.

Take a look at the media competition here:

Storm The Citadel 2020

As many as 3,000 people will come to The Citadel campus for the real Storm The Citadel, a hands-on competition that teachers and students spend months preparing for, which includes water bottle rockets, bridge-building, robotics and trebuchets.

Storm The Citadel is sponsored by Google and The Citadel. The event is also free to schools; the materials, transportation and mentors are provided.

The Citadel’s STEM Center of Excellence hosts multiple, hands-on events for kids annually to promote and engage students in STEM learning.

Storm The Citadel 2020 is open to the public and runs from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m. in Summerall Field and Deas Hall.