Surf Coast’s solar success
A trio of teams from Surf Coast Secondary College competed in the Australian Model Boat Challenge in Sydney late last year. One of those teams – Narwhal, named after one of the rarest whales in the world – brought home top prize in the advanced boats section.
Surf Coast Secondary College school captain Jack Reither is not a newcomer to constructing solar boats. Throughout his studies he has regularly combined his classroom learnings with a creative design streak that has seen him regularly participate in state and national competitions.
Along with Daniel Rolfe and fellow school captain Maddie Nielson, the year 12 student’s endeavours most recently saw him travel to Sydney to vie for national honours in the Australian Model Boat Challenge. Coming as no surprise to those who had followed the team’s progress, the trio took top honours in the advanced boats section.
Jack described the building of the boat, which was made up largely of high density polystyrene foam, as a “long and difficult process, but a rewarding one”. The construction took about two terms.
“We shaved, shaped and wired the boat ourselves, following guidelines that help to ensure fairness,” he said.
“We had done it previously, so we had a clear idea of what we wanted to do. To win was a great achievement and one we’re all proud of.”
Over more than two decades thousands of high school students across the country have participated in the Model Boat Challenge – a hands-on science program. Not only is the learning fun and practical, but outcomes are significant. Teachers, including those at Surf Coast Secondary College, report how participants build an intuitive knowledge of the sciences, permeating the classroom.
In addition to the times each boat posts, teams are interviewed and given points for the answers to science based questions, illustrating an understanding of how solar cells work, how motors turn electricity into motion, and why and how gears are used. Team are then interviewed about the merits and trade-offs of their design, with a poster describing the team’s work also assessed. At the end of the event these points are combined.
“I have the privilege of having taught university students who have come through this program. This is a remarkable and fulfilling experience seeing these students in my classes,” Australian Model Boat Challenge chair Paul Wellington said.
The 2015 Australian Model Boat Challenge will be held in Adelaide on October 24/25.
Surf Coast Secondary College school captain Jack Reither is not a newcomer to constructing solar boats. Throughout his studies he has regularly combined his classroom learnings with a creative design streak that has seen him regularly participate in state and national competitions.
Along with Daniel Rolfe and fellow school captain Maddie Nielson, the year 12 student’s endeavours most recently saw him travel to Sydney to vie for national honours in the Australian Model Boat Challenge. Coming as no surprise to those who had followed the team’s progress, the trio took top honours in the advanced boats section.
Jack described the building of the boat, which was made up largely of high density polystyrene foam, as a “long and difficult process, but a rewarding one”. The construction took about two terms.
“We shaved, shaped and wired the boat ourselves, following guidelines that help to ensure fairness,” he said.
“We had done it previously, so we had a clear idea of what we wanted to do. To win was a great achievement and one we’re all proud of.”
Over more than two decades thousands of high school students across the country have participated in the Model Boat Challenge – a hands-on science program. Not only is the learning fun and practical, but outcomes are significant. Teachers, including those at Surf Coast Secondary College, report how participants build an intuitive knowledge of the sciences, permeating the classroom.
In addition to the times each boat posts, teams are interviewed and given points for the answers to science based questions, illustrating an understanding of how solar cells work, how motors turn electricity into motion, and why and how gears are used. Team are then interviewed about the merits and trade-offs of their design, with a poster describing the team’s work also assessed. At the end of the event these points are combined.
“I have the privilege of having taught university students who have come through this program. This is a remarkable and fulfilling experience seeing these students in my classes,” Australian Model Boat Challenge chair Paul Wellington said.
The 2015 Australian Model Boat Challenge will be held in Adelaide on October 24/25.
