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| School: |
Bundaberg State High School |
| Location: |
Bundaberg, Queensland, Australia |
| Class/Title: |
Industrial Technology and Design |
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25 years |
| CO2 Racing: |
19 years |
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History in CO2 dragsters: In 1991 I had an opportunity to be an exchange teacher in Clatskanie, Oregon, which enabled me to refine my program of CO2 dragsters with some specialized help from Steve Snider of Pitsco and Clatskanie Industrial Arts Teacher Keith Wilson. Over the last 10 years, I have become known as the CO2 Rocket Man around my educational circles. I have been involved with F1 in Schools for the past three years.
Passion: I have been asked why I am so passionate about the CO2 dragsters. I have to answer, "It works. It gets students to become engaged in learning design and new technology at any level."
Enjoying what I do: What I enjoy most about CO2 dragsters is always looking for ways to inspire students' learning. Sometimes, I get it right, and sometimes I have to work harder to get students engaged. However, sometimes we are lucky enough to have a program that works year after year, and students just want to be part of this Engineering and Technology program.
Students inspire me: What inspires me is seeing the faces of the students on race day. The extremely bright students working alongside the students who have struggled through their school life, but on that day, at the racetrack, they are equals. These students freely discuss the finer points of mass, velocity, and anti-friction and which car is going to be the fastest and why - students working together as a team.
Innovating: In Australia, I have allowed another division, "Engineering and Technology." In this division students must design their car from two or more materials or any manufacturing processes. For example, they may use Computer Numeric Controlled (CNC) machines or vacuum forming, and they may join materials such as wood and plastics or metals and plastics. Through this program, students have built a greater understanding of materials and have enjoyed great success.
Visit our Web sites Down Under: CO2 Racing at Bundaberg SHS
Holden Maryborough Technology Challenge 2005 |
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| Action shots and displays from races in Australia administered by Holledge |
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