The Tyler ISD Career & Technology Center (CTC) made a splash as student teams took to the campus pool to compete in the highly anticipated 7th Annual Cardboard Boat Regatta. Using only cardboard and duct tape, teams raced boats they designed and built over the past three weeks, putting their engineering skills, creativity, and teamwork to the ultimate test.
The regatta started as part of a lesson plan for CTC’s architect and engineering students and has evolved into a campus-wide event open to all students. "The end-of-year project focuses on math and science,” instructor Mike Baker said. “It is part of the same curriculum as the MIT Freshman Engineering class."
This year’s event was particularly special, marking the first time sophomores joined the competition alongside upperclassmen. Students worked in groups of three or four to design boats capable of holding at least one — and at most two — students. Applying Archimedes' Principle, participants used their ingenuity, communication, and problem-solving skills to navigate the challenges of buoyancy and structural stability.
Teams earned group and individual grades based on how long their boat stayed afloat, how much distance it covered, and whether it successfully completed a round trip across the pool. Judges also awarded points for creativity and school spirit, encouraging teams to develop imaginative themes and demonstrate showmanship during pre-race festivities.
While several boats sailed successfully across the pool, others faced unexpected challenges — a key part of the learning experience. "For our engineering project, the instructions sounded simple — build a boat out of cardboard and duct tape that could float across the pool and come back," said Legacy High School sophomore Jack Felsenthal. "We had three weeks to plan, prep, and sketch everything out, and we thought we were ready. But once we built it and got on the boat, we realized you’re never fully prepared for what could happen. Our oars broke, and the boat only made it about halfway. Still, it was an awesome learning experience about how important it is to adapt when things don’t go as planned."
The event highlighted not only technical knowledge but also resilience, creativity, and collaboration — skills that will serve CTC students well in their future careers.
For more information, contact Jennifer Hines at Jennifer.Hines@TylerISD.org.