Learning on the water: St. Mary eighth-graders compete in their cardboard boats

Collin Bestor, Northwest Florida Daily News
·1 min read
Three students created the Hogwarts Express based off the Harry Potter series. It was the first team to complete a lap in the cardboard boat race.
Three students created the Hogwarts Express based off the Harry Potter series. It was the first team to complete a lap in the cardboard boat race.

OKALOOSA ISLAND — A Hogwarts Express, a Bat Boatmobile, Ms. Frizzle's Magic School Bus and a pirate ship were some of the creative ideas that the eighth-grade students of Saint Mary Catholic School in Fort Walton Beach used to compete in the 23rd annual cardboard boat race at Marler Park on Friday.

"I think this means a great deal to them," said Eva Wise of Catholic Charites of Northwest Florida. "It's for them to do something as a group and be competitive but also have fun at the same time. They are also supporting each other, and they get to leave the school, go outside and enjoy time with each other."

Three students created a pirate ship. It was one of the few boats that did not disintegrate in the waters of Choctaw Bay.
Three students created a pirate ship. It was one of the few boats that did not disintegrate in the waters of Choctaw Bay.

There were 10 boats entered into the event with three kids per boat. Each team had three to four weeks to get their boats seaworthy.

While the competition enthralled the kids and parents, learning was at the core of the event.

Three students created a cardboard replica of the Higgins Boat used in the D-Day landings.
Three students created a cardboard replica of the Higgins Boat used in the D-Day landings.

"Kids researched engineering techniques, buoyancy, stability and the Archimedes Principle," said eighth-grade science teacher Danielle Stilts. "I think it's a really special community event that brings the parents together with the Saint Mary community. It's a rite of passage for the eighth-grade kids to be a part of this, and what an awesome, educational way to spend our Friday."

Three minions from the "Despicable Me" franchise may not row their way to world domination, but they will at least have fun trying.
Three minions from the "Despicable Me" franchise may not row their way to world domination, but they will at least have fun trying.

A Batman-themed boat won the race.

This article originally appeared on Northwest Florida Daily News: Cardboard boat race gives St. Mary eighth-graders a fun way to learn