Hempfield High School physics students gathered at Hempfield recCenter to compete for the the Benner (Cardboard) Cup at this year's annual cardboard boat race on May 20. The project is both a tradition and a physics class requirement. Students must build boats to hold the weight of two teammates and withstand the water for a grade.
Time and effort were common themes among the competing students, with time spent on the project ranging from six to 60 hours to collect all the cardboard, draw up blueprints, and build boats. Students take pride in sharing how much duct tape and wax went into supporting their creations. The boats cannot be more than 10 feet long and 10 feet wide, and they must be made out of cardboard with 3/16-inch thickness.
The assignment is based on competitive grading, which means that the further students advance in the competition, the better grade they will receive, though drawings and construction are also taken into consideration. After preliminary heats, the fastest times move into the semifinal bracket. Then the three fastest semifinal winners race for the win.
The 2019 Benner Cup winners from boat D07 were Michael Seltlock, Donald "D.J." Esbenshade, and Nolan Deck.
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