Another successful win for Standard School

Times Contributor   

 

Cardboard Boat Races: sounds like a fun day off of school. Sounds like something that little kids do in the spring when the puddles are full and the streams are running wild. One can picture little paper boats with sails made of plastic bags and elastics holding it all together. This scenario is not that far off the mark.

Armed with cardboard, duct tape and a few other odds and ends, junior and senior high school students from across the province used their skill and ingenuity to transform these materials into a vessel for the water. Not only does their “boat” need to be quick, but it must be “sea worthy” capable of carrying passengers as well. 

Around 45 teams made their way to the SAIT (Southern Alberta institute of Technology), Leisure Centre in Calgary earlier this month. The event is sponsored by Skills Canada encouraging kids in the profession of trades and technology and is also sponsored by Cenovus.

The objective of the day was to design and construct a boat with only the supplied materials in one and a half hours or less. Each team was given the same amount of materials. The boats had to be sturdy enough to float, go fast and carry lots of weight. Teachers bringing the students were not allowed to participate or coach in any way, shape or form during the event.

For many of the students the event provided them with hands on experience for core subjects they are currently taking.

“The challenge is open ended, problem solving in nature, paralleling the thrust of broad-based curriculum. It involves: design, research & presentation, principles of structure, strength, rigidity, water permeability, propulsion, friction and direction control, buoyancy and displacement, adhesives and bonding, teamwork and FUN,” according to skillsalberta.com.

After the completion of the boat construction the students make their way to the pool where the “real” fun begins. 

Each team of four must put their boats in the water and one person must race against another team to the finish line in a timed event. Of course some of the boats sink immediately to the bottom of the pool and are disqualified from the weight test. Those who complete the race are then put in the weight test whereby three of the members of their team are required to get into their already waterlogged boat and are timed as to how long the boat stays afloat. Parents and teachers alike cheer from the bleachers for all students whether they are from their respective schools or not.

One junior high team and one senior high team from Standard were the only local teams from East Wheatland (Golden Hills School Division) to enter. The junior high team consisting of Cale Kathol, Emen Ryan, Devan Evanenko and Dustin Wolfs brought home the silver medal, coming in second over many of the bigger schools of Calgary, and look forward to next years event.