Algonquin Road P.S. students sail through to Provincial Cardboard Boat Races

Grade 8 students from Algonquin Road Public School will compete at the Skills Canada – Provincial Cardboard Boat Championships in Waterloo on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

Madison Huntington, Morgan Proulx, Erin Coles, and Rebekah Thom will vie for gold against Ontario’s best in elementary cardboard boat racing. The school’s tiger mascot (Erin Kottick) will attend to cheer them on.

To qualify, the team garnered first at the regional races in Espanola on January 29, 2019.

For the competition, students are given two hours to build a boat on site using only duct tape and cardboard. Boats are judged on speed and weight, while teams are judged on teamwork, planning, decor and safety.

Captain Erin Cole paddled down the pool in a speedy 20.96 seconds, recording the fastest time at the event. During the weight challenge, Algonquin’s boat carried a heavy 510 lbs load, almost double the weight of the second place team. This earned them an overall score of 97.9, beating their last year’s 91.5.

“We are proud of our students for their efforts in the cardboard boat races,” says Algonquin Road Public School Principal Trevor Dewit. “On behalf of the entire school, I extend best wishes as they represent Rainbow in a field of Ontario’s best this spring. Go tigers!”

Skills Ontario races bring education, hands-on experience, and teamwork together, and promote career opportunities in the skilled trade and technology sectors to young Ontarians.

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Media Contact:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor,
Corporate Communications and Strategic Planning,
Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.

Photo: Grade 8 students from Algonquin Road Public School will compete at the Skills Canada – Provincial Cardboard Boat Championships in Waterloo on Wednesday, March 6, 2019. Regional champs are, from left, coach Darren Foy, Morgan Proulx, Madison Huntington, Rebekah Thom, and Erin Coles.