OBX Roller Coaster Day was a Thrilling Ride for All!

On Friday, April 15, GWCS 9^th and 10^th grade students participated in Roller Coaster Day.  Using templates from www.PaperRollerCoasters.com, each group designed and built a marble run out of cardstock to enter in a contest at the end of the day.  Contest winners won gift cards and GWCS swag.  One of the six student groups documented the event through videotaped interviews, video footage, and still photographs instead of building a coaster.  In the pre-OBX activity, we talked about the physics principles behind roller coasters and learned basic construction techniques.  In the post-OBX activity, students demonstrated their work to the 11^th and 12^th graders and we talked about what was most fun what was most challenging, and how to make the event even better next time.  This OBX event was a huge success -- the students were a community in action demonstrating GWCS values such as team play, kindness, excellence, responsibility and intellectual curiosity.  The added bonus was that everyone had FUN!