Eighth graders set sail for STREAM Days Sink or Swim Challenge

Four boats constructed out of cardboard, carpet tubes and liquid nail took to the waters of the swimming pool Friday afternoon to see which vessel was best as part of the eighth grade STREAM Days Sink or Swim challenge.

Team “Speeding To Victory” took the crown as the last boat floating. The trio of Kayden Cibula, Noah Cochenour and Paige Perhac last through all three races and stayed mostly dry behind their slightly more narrow design.

Three of the teams ended up getting wet. The blue team ran into trouble early, as their vessel took on water in the first race and led to a frantic bailout at the other end of the pool. They tried again in the second race, but the hull gave way and dumped the sailors into the water before they could make it far.

“Keep on Tuggin” made it through the first race, but a second attempt saw the middle of their boat collapse close to the finish line, sending them into the water. “Smooth Sailing” made it to the final race, but their final lap was anything but smooth, as not even a couple pontoons could keep them afloat.

That left “Speeding To Victory” alone in the pool, and the rowers made it down and back to seal their win.

The races were the finale to the eighth graders’ work over the past month or so as they used various mathematical, scientific and engineering concepts to design and craft their vessels. Led by advisors Ms. Heather Clark, Mr. Michael Hofbauer, Mr. Steven Large, Mr. Ed Tozzi and volunteer Mr. Steve Vinay, the 16 eighth graders learned about effective boat design, water displacement, buoyancy, and some basic rowing techniques.

The advisors offered one last lesson afterward, noting that “Speeding To Victory’s” slimmer design likely was the winning formula. The wider boats provided more room, but the wider surface area may have made them less stable once they were in the water.

Congratulations to everyone who took part and made this another successful set of STREAM Days experiments!