Cardboard Regatta Sets Sail

Cardboard Regatta Sets Sail

Mr. Scott Werner’s Principles of Engineering class competed in a Cardboard Regatta to wrap up the spring semester. Students Forest Long, Nicole Shirley, and Cody Werner each built their own model of a cardboard boat with floatation being the main goal.

Only cardboard, wood glue, and paper were approved materials, and students were graded on their ability to pass the pre-launch inspection, floatation test, floatation with person test, and their engineering design process presentation.

Boats were judged based on design, structure, and chances of floatation. Mr. Werner’s use of creativity in the classroom fosters an environment of learning real-world techniques.

“MVA’s small class sizes allow for more in-depth learning and hands-on experimentation,” said Mr. David Bernatavitz, Dean of the Upper School. “Teachers like Mr. Werner, who create projects where the content comes to life, are the pillars of MVA’s education. Class projects that provoke a desire to learn and apply the material are pivotal to a student’s success and their ability to retain information and engage in a practice which promotes creativity and a deeper study of the subject matter.”