New School boat building

Above, middle schoolers from Hood River New School spent Dec. 16 at the pool, building cardboard boats — and then testing their seaworthiness. Students and parents enthusiastically cheered from the sidelines. 

Hood River New School students headed to the Hood River Aquatic Center on Dec. 16 to participate in a boat building and race exercise.

Groups of middle school students were tasked with designing and building their own boats using only cardboard and duct tape. Once their boats were completed, the students raced them in the swimming pool to see which ship was the fastest — and most seaworthy.

New School boat building

Isabel Ulland works on a boat design.

New School boat building

Bridger Gilchrist, at left, and Arlie Sparling and Finn Cargo race their boats.