PHS Engineering

Friday the 11th of March was the Red Nose Day of 2005. Across the country there were people dying their hair red, putting on face paint and wearing the crazy haired Red Nose, all in the name of charity and goodwill. At Peebles High School, the corridors and halls were filled with red as students and staff wore a piece of red clothing and paid 50p to the Comic Relief fund.

Mr Hynd can always be counted on to look suitably silly

300 red noses were on sale at break and lunch time, and they disappeared exceptionally fast. Unlike two years ago however, there was not a ludicrous craze sweeping the high school.

In the last Red Nose craze pupils were literally hauled out of classes to help out

This was of course our fabulous and completely daft light up Red Noses that were praised and adored by just about everyone that saw them. Around 100 were built in total and we helped to raise a simply wonderful amount to go to Comic relief.

The 6th years of that time were the lords of the electronics and lights

So that was that year. What about now? What great thing was the engineering club doing to contribute to the fundraising this year? Well sorry to put a downside to things, but we couldn't. For the reasons were out of our control. 5th and 6th year exams swallowed most of the preparation time, and the younger members hadn't enough experience to go on. It was unfortunate, but Lab three wasn't in a frenzy of activity as it was two years earlier.

The jelly eating contest was the highlight of the day

Don't get me wrong, the show of support througout the school was nothing short of fabulous, and my hopes are for Red Nose Day 2007 when this years fourth year will be leading the way with some (hopefully) insane modified noses. The jelly eating contest was brilliant entertainment: what better way to spend a lunchtime than to watch staff and students plunge into puddings?

But I must apologise for my stubborness, for I simply refused to let there be absolutly no noses that didn't flash in an adorable and super-cool way. So I got a few of the leftover Christmas card circuits, some watch batteries, plenty of Red LEDs, and my trusty soildering iron. And I got to work...

crimson hair gel, sticky face paint, and one light up Red Nose

Three light up noses were made for Red Nose Day. They were modified in the same style that the 100 noses had been in 2003, but this time I used only Red lights which produced a brilliant effect. The prototype, a bit messyier than the other two, I kept myself. The second I made went to a wonderful and deserving friends of mine, and the third I gave to the prize winner of the Jelly eating contest. I wasn't there, but I was glad to hear that Basil, the ex-janitor of PHS was thrilled to get his light up nose.

Basil won the jelly eating competition, sleaning his entire plate in under 10 seconds

So Red Nose Day this year wasn't completely without some engineering going into it, and in another two years time when most of those who remembered the first craze have left, the pupils at Peebles High might once again go mad for little lights in little noses.

Mrs Hill entranced a crowd of first years with my favorite nose of the year

Red Nose madness...