The National Catapult Contest was an annual, national competition held between 1966 and 1977 in Indianapolis, Indiana, which, over the course of its history, led to the creation of more than 100 modern catapults. Teams of Latin students across the United States authentically recreated the catapults of Ancient Rome using materials and techniques that would have been available to the ancient Romans. The teams then transported their working catapults to Indianapolis, where they competed against each other toward the goal of hurling a 100-pound stone 100 yards. The inaugural firing of MARS I, the first catapult created for this purpose, was held on March 15, 1966, the Ides of March, a nod to the assassination of Julius Caesar, on the grounds of Park School (Indianapolis, Indiana), and was covered by the Huntley-Brinkley Report on NBC News. Though that first attempt only resulted in the hurling of a 103-pound rock three feet, by 1977, the year of the final National Catapult Contest, teams had successfully built authentic Roman catapults that routinely hurled rocks as heavy as 50 and 75 pounds more than 200 yards. History The National Catapult Contest originated out of a simple directive from the Academic Development Committee of Indianapolis' Park School for Boys (now Park Tudor School) in December 1965, which "urged the faculty to review continuously the content and method of their instruction," and "further, not to forego unusual methods of stimulating the interest and involvement of students." Acting on this directive, Bernard F. Barcio, then the Latin Master of the school, announced to his class that he would support them in the undertaking of a project of their choice, so long as it pertained somehow to Latin. According to Barcio, "It was then that sophomore David Leve suggested that the Latin II class (thirteen members in all) build an authentic Roman Catapult." Under Barcio's leadership, a student team consisting of Andy SerVaas, David Leve, Mike Ryan, John Townsend, Geoff Reynolds, Richard Vonnegut, Laurel Woodard, John Katterjohn and Russ Staines" proceeded to undergo the construction of a catapult powered by rope and a 12-foot-long wooden bow. Failure to Launch Interest in the unusual project quickly spread through the school, and the larger community. The students predicted their catapult would be able to hurl a 100-pound rock 100 yards. The school even dubbed March 8, 1966, as their first annual "rock gathering day," which they used to locate