Their mission was to engineer a cardboard boat capable of staying afloat as the two people onboard paddled furiously towards the finish line at Westport Park.
Of the six schools willing to take up the challenge, it was the Nature School Secondary (TNS) that found winning the 2023 Cardboard Regatta came "naturally".
The regatta was organised by the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie West with the experts from professional boatbuilders Birdon, acting as the day's official judges.
Student teams from Hastings Secondary College, Newman Senior Technical College, Wauchope High, Camden Haven High and St Columba Anglican School, joined TNS on the water.
Each team had spent months designing and constructing vessels made entirely of recycled cardboard and tape.
Camden Haven High School's three boats, which all stayed afloat, were the product of this term's STEM elective class.
Students may not have been the fastest, but they took out the trophy and other prizes for the Most Innovative Design and Best Team Spirit.
And how could St Columba win anything but "Most Epic Fail" with its entry, Titanic.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Sue Stephenson
Sue is an award-winning journalist and academic, and Editor of the Port Macquarie News and Macleay Argus
Sue is an award-winning journalist and academic, and Editor of the Port Macquarie News and Macleay Argus
