Students will set sail Wednesday during Career Transitions’ 21st Annual Sail and Bail carboard boat race.
This event provides a unique, hands-on learning experience for participants from six school divisions across southwestern Alberta.
Working in groups and provided with only a couple of sheets of cardboard, a cutting tool and some tape, students will construct boats for a timed race and weight challenge.
Fifty teams will compete in either the Junior (Grades 7-9) or Senior (Grades 10-12) divisions.
In addition to points for speed in the timed race and time afloat during the weight test, teams are evaluated on their design, construction quality, teamwork and visual appeal.
The construction phase will occur on the indoor track in the Co-op Centre for Sport and Wellness at the University of Lethbridge.
The races and weight challenge will be held at the Max Bell Regional Aquatic Centre.
Students not only learn problem-solving and the value of teamwork, but also practical applications of principles, including water permeability, buoyancy and displacement – as well as design, research and construction.
Career Transitions Executive Director Judy Stolk-Ingram adds it’s probably the best way students can practice and apply different principles they’re learning in Science and Math to a real-life situation. “And have so much fun doing it that they don’t even know they’re learning. That’s one of the reasons teachers like it.”
Students will also learn soft skills, including communication and leadership skills.
“Students are required to bring a design with them. They can get no help from their teacher, so if they make a wrong cut, they’ve got to figure it out on their own,” she explains.
“We’ll have a small village of 200 kids on campus for the day,” adds Stolk-Ingram.
This year, the Float Their Boats campaign has also been launched with local sponsors.
“Companies will be racing against each other. That’s kind of an exciting piece. We greatly appreciate the sponsorship, and the event is just made so much better because of the participation of these awesome industry folks,” says Stolk-Ingram
