The History of the Cardboard Regatta

Three summers ago I experienced my first Cardboard Regatta. We had at least two weeks to put our boats together. Our only resources were cardboard, duct tape, and the engineers in our ward. We came up with some pretty good stuff! Our first summer we only had one boat to race against and we won, without a doubt.

Cardboard Regatta 2007
48th Ward

My first cardboard boat




Getting ready to launch. My boat was the far one.




Paddling in for the win.

We had another regatta just a year later with the same ward, same resources. This boat was built even sturdier. We didn't have another ward to race against so we raced against some fellow wardies in an inflatable raft.

Cardboard Regatta 2008
48th Ward

Our sturdy structure

Ready to launch

Paddling to the other side

This year we had duct tape and cardboard. No engineers and not nearly as much time. We were split into four groups and were expected to construct a cardboard boat within a couple of hours. We were without engineers in our group and so we were left to our own experience, which was limited. I didn't have anything to do with the designs of the boats from the last two years and I couldn't even remember what they had looked like. We sure didn't come up with much.

Cardboard Regatta 2009
16th Ward

Our poorly designed boat/raft.
We did layer the bottom with LOTS of cardboard but it still didn't do much for us.

For some strange reason (probably because people are nice), Andrea and I had been receiving lots of compliments on our boat (more like a raft) and were feeling pretty confident about this race.

Our original plan for the win: I would paddle and she would be the motor.




Our plan quickly failed.




We resorted to my pulling the front while doing the side stroke and Andrea still being the motor.

When I could finally touch, we just pulled the boat to shore.

Needless to say, we came in last. But we finished! So I hyperventilated half of my way across first dam. Not only was my body working harder than normal, but I was trying to breathe in freezing cold water. My lungs were definitely not pleased with me. I wanted to quit but Andrea wouldn't have it! We actually came up with a great gospel parallel but that's for another day.

My favorite part is that as we were leaving the house before the race Andrea asked if we were going to get wet. "No!" I said, almost insulted. "We'll be totally fine. I've done this for two years and stayed completely dry." Whoops!

Completely soaked

The moral of the story: have engineers in your group and give yourselves a little more than a couple of hours to complete your project. Oh, and a motivator like Andrea.

Life After College

After completing and incredible student teaching experience in Hamilton, New Zealand, I graduated from Utah State University in May. Upon my return to the States, after experiencing a glimpse of paradise, I expected everything to be bliss. I'd graduate from college, find myself a job-in Logan (I was adamant about a Logan job)- and everything would work out wonderfully. Instead I was bombarded with real life. I shouldn't ever have expectations like that. I mean really...who do I think I am to have things work out so easily?

The supportive parents-Thanks for the help with tuition and New Zealand!




The supportive grandparents-Thanks for the help with tuition!



The supportive sibs

I graduated and moved to a different house and started working for Logan City. Things were going smoothly until I started going home a lot. It felt like all of my conversations with my parents were about my future. "What are you going to do about insurance? Where are you going to look for a job? You know you need to keep your options open and you shouldn't limit yourself to Logan." I could almost quote these conversations word for word on my way TO Idaho Falls, before they even happened. I just wasn't that worried about it all. With my luck, I wouldn't find a teaching position but Logan City would offer me a full time job in the fall and I'd be happy with a job I loved and benefits to take care of me.

Suddenly it was June and I had partially filled out two applications and checked job openings about ten times. "Things will just happen. I don't need to worry. I'll get a job. I don't think I need all of this effort." This was a scare mentality now that I think about it. Again, who am I to think I'm so invincible? I was happily mowing for Logan City when I received a voicemail one day from the principal. "Hi. This is the principal from Logan River Academy. I got your name and phone number from the University. I hear you're looking for a PE position and we'd like you to come in for an interview."

I was in shock! I didn't fill out an application. PE jobs are nonexistent in this valley. HE found ME. So I called him back. And I got an interview. And I felt good about the interview. And then I remember him saying that it's a year round school and he would need me to start as soon as possible. And then I got a second interview. And then I hoped I didn't the job. And then I did get offered the job. And then I was in emotional turmoil. And I cried and worried. A lot. I didn't want to quit my current job. I liked the idea of mowing lawns better than molding minds. If I screwed up while mowing, the grass would fix itself and it would all be okay. If I screwed up a child, well that's not an easy fix. But I jumped in with both feet and I took the job.

So now I teach all the health classes and all the PE classes. And I love it. It's definitely not mowing lawns, but it provides some good laughs and some great experiences. There is life after college!

My students are a little rough around the edges. Some have been to detention centers. Some of them were court ordered to LRA. Most were woken up in the middle of the night by an escort, with or without handcuffs, that said "You're leaving, and you're leaving now." And off they went to begin a new era in a treatment center. And here I am, educating them during their treatment. I have a lot of students who had drug problems, I have a couple of students that have OCD, some students with anger management issues, and some students with all of the above. Most of them are boys, some of them are girls. But just like every other high school student, they have an excuse to not change into PE clothes and to not participate in class.

This job has its challenges, for sure. But this job also has insurance, and a salary, and experience that I couldn't get anywhere else. And so I'm not mowing and I'm not outside everyday, but I'm happy. And not every college graduate can claim as much.