Introduction to Technology students recently studied a unit that explored boat travel. The students were tasked to design, build and test a sailboat that will compete in three separate competitions including speed empty, speed with a load, and weight capacity. The competition takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 5 in the classroom where the sailboats must capture the wind from a box fan and travel down the trough eight feet. The speed competitions will allow for three attempts per racer, with the fastest time counting. The weight

competition will have the students place their boat in a bucket and add washers until it sinks. The greatest amount of washers held will win.

In order to be successful with their boats, Mr. Corder and Mr. Miller called on Northwestern’s sailboat expert Joe Nagle. Mr. Nagle is Northwestern Middle School’s guidance counselor and the district’s athletic director. Mr. Nagle sailed his way up to the high school to share his knowledge with the students. By the end of the

period, the students were speaking the boating language. Do you know what stern, bow, rudder, or buoyancy has to do with sailboat racing? Thanks to Mr. Nagle, our students do.

This unit is a great example of how the Northwestern staff pulls together to help our students. The students of Intro to Technology benefited greatly from Mr. Nagle’s experience, and he was happy to share it. Mr. Nagle reminded the students that “We can’t direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails for maximum happiness and a positive attitude.” Thank you Mr. Nagle for putting the wind in our students’ sails!