Soapbox Race Gives Students Drive to Learn

More than 30 hot, sweaty and extremely proud kids from Doug Whitney’s fifth-grade class raced around Glenwood Elementary School on Thursday in colorful soapbox derby cars they had built themselves in an exploration of art, science and even history.

After the students revved their imaginary engines and got pushed by their buddies ‘round and ‘round the makeshift track, it was the team that created the black-and-gold vehicle named “Moon Eyes” that took first place.

“I’m tired,” said Megan Joynt, 10, one of the triumphant, red-faced winners.

It has taken at least four months for Whitney’s class to imagine, design and build six sturdy-looking wooden cars.

Awhile back, Whitney--a 25-year-veteran in the Conejo Valley Unified School District--read the class a book about the wooden cars, traditionally made out of soap crates.

Energized by the enthusiasm of his students after they heard the story, Whitney decided to take on what he called the most ambitious project of his life.

He divided the class into six teams--three boys and three girls in each, if possible--and set them to work.

They incorporated bits of art, math, science and history into the assignment.

“One of the problems in school and so much with kids these days is that they don’t build treehouses. . . . And you don’t see them building cars anymore,” Whitney said.

“Everything today is purchased, assembled, plastic or high-tech. . . . Just look at how jazzed these kids are about something they made.”

So, for an hour each week starting in the fall, the class drew plans, gathered tools, bored holes, attached axles, rigged steering wheels, painted the vehicles and, of course, named their power machines: The Bomb, Blue Thunder, Viper, The Pulse, Speed Demons.

Parent Larry Bracken--who took time out of his day to videotape his son Corey in the race--was pleased with the class project.

“I made one of these as a kid but they didn’t look as good,” he said.

Ten-year-olds Brittni Green and Ashley Thieman, co-drivers of Speed Demons, readily agreed that they enjoyed the project.

And they were surprised at what they had accomplished.

“In the beginning, I never thought we could do something like this,” Ashley said.