Addison Trail and Willowbrook physics students participate in Cardboard Regatta

On May 18, about 200 students from Addison Trail and Willowbrook competed in a Cardboard Regatta at Jefferson Pool in Villa Park.

Those students were in Advanced Placement (AP)/college-level Physics 1 and AP Physics 2. Participants built boats out of cardboard and tape and raced from one end of the pool to the other and back again. Willowbrook Principal Dr. Daniel Krause joined the festivities as well – watch part of his race by clicking the video above. The video also highlights a successful run by another boat.

The goal was to apply physics knowledge from Newton's Laws, center of gravity and fluid dynamics. Some students were more successful than others, but everyone came away with a greater appreciation for real-world applications of classroom knowledge.