Boat Race Champions
Only two girls remained high and dry on Monday at the end of the second annual boat race by students in the engineering class. As students and faculty encouraged all four boats from the pool deck and gallery, the craft aptly named Hercules chalked up another successful “labor” and finished the trip down the length of the pool and back, said officials.
The students divided into groups of four to work on the boats, using cardboard, tape, and latex paint to secure their designs. “This year,” said teacher Jill Pala, “the challenge was to make the boat as small as possible for the number of racers planned.” The two to four-racer crews were encouraged as well to make their designs “look more like a boat and less like a box top.” Click here to see a photo gallery of the boats and the race.
“Yeah Buoy” and “Shooting Star” almost made it down one length of the pool. “NOT the Titanic” was unfortunately more like its namesake than planned. It had to be scrapped after just a few minutes in the water. The boat’s racers, however, kept in the game by cheering for their classmates.
The engineering class provides tools and materials for student exploration and problem solving in interdisciplinary, hands-on projects. The boat race was an example of the students’ initiative and problem-solving skills, learning as much from failure as from success.
Students at the boat race