Grade 7 and 8 students from Ralph McCall School swept the top two spots in the Skills Canada Alberta Cardboard Boat Races held at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, Nov. 24.
Only 50 teams were admitted into the competition, with two teams representing Ralph McCall School.
Teams were given one roll of packing tape, two four-foot by eight-foot sheets of cardboard, 25 feet of string, one roll of small duct tape, two box cutters, two pencils and a surprise item.
Teams were allowed to design the boat prior to the competition. Boats were judged on design and construction, speed and a weight test.
Kalbie Holkanson, who was a part of the winning squad, says she was excited to take things she has learned and apply it to something fun.
“I was really excited because I could put my knowledge into something that is fun and also challenging,” said Holkanson. “It’s quite different from other events out there.”
Holkanson was joined by Liam Russell, Mark Madge and Tahnee Harder, while the second place team was made up of Reagen Dueck, Ryan Alberts, Ethan Wagner and Alaska Roth.
Jordan Flower, the teacher responsible for the teams, said the margin of victory between the two Ralph McCall teams was a matter of seconds in the weight test.
Grade 7 and 8 students from Meadowbrook Middle took fourth and 13th place overall in the junior high class, while Ecole Francophone D’Airdrie finished 16th.
George McDougall High School entered two teams into the senior high class, managing 10th and 14th overall.
Skills Canada Alberta is a not-for-profit organization that helps de-stigmatize the trades by giving students fun, friendly competitions throughout the province.
