St. Patrick CES students shine in Skills Ontario’s “Junk Drawer” Races

Feb. 6, 2025

The annual “Junk Drawer” Races, hosted by Skills Ontario, brought out the creativity and engineering skills of young students from across the province. 

Teams of 4 students in grades 4-5 were tasked with designing and building a Rubber Band Powered Cardboard Car, using only paper products to power their creations.

Avery, Colbie, Alison, and Summer, a group from St. Patrick Catholic Elementary School in Peterborough, were thrilled to see their hard work pay off with a third place finish in the region. 

“I am incredibly proud of my students for their hard work and dedication in the Cardboard Car Races at the Skills Ontario STEM competition,” said Shannon Cannon, Grade 4 Teacher.  “Their innovative thinking, teamwork, and perseverance through trials, such as a crooked axle and wobbly wheels, paid off as they improved on their design to earn a well-deserved bronze medal for our region! This achievement not only reflects their skills in engineering and design, but also their commitment to problem-solving under pressure.”

Once the cars were built, the teams tested them to ensure they could travel 15 feet on a flat surface.

The teams completed their own design plans, built, decorated and then tested their creations.

The test was also videotaped and the times recorded.

After initially losing to another St. Patrick CES group in an earlier race, the girls bounced back with their detailed car they dubbed “Starship.” 

Their design, attention to detail in measurements and quality race video earned them points that set them apart from the competition.