Competitions
Mousetrap Car Race 2011
By Vongleakhena Heng, 11F
Mousetrap Car Race 2011 Video 1st Section
Mousetrap Car Race 2011 Video 2nd Section
It was Saturday morning and I arrived at school around 8:30 am with my mousetrap car. There were many students and parents testing their cars in the canteen and in the backyard of the school. My partner, Seavhun and I were fixing and testing our car, too.
Finally, it was 9 o’clock and Mr. Gurkan announced that the competition would start in 5 minutes. The competition took place in the canteen. Each student was very excited as they gathered inside the canteen. Mr. Gurkan was the regulator, Mr. Enis was the timekeeper, and Mr. Davut was the camera-man. There were teachers, assistant teachers and parents as well. Some cars went fast, some went slow, some traveled for long distances and some traveled for short distances.
Students were cheering on and supporting their classmates, which made the competition very exciting to watch. When it was my turn to run my mousetrap car, Mr. Gurkan said, “Clear the way, Leakhena’s car is coming”. At that moment I was thinking that if my car didn’t go as far as he expected, I’d be very embarrassed in front of all teachers and students. I released my car and it went straight down the track until the end. I was so excited that I jumped up and down and cheered out loud along with my partner and my classmates.
Time sure went by really fast. After all students had shown their cars, the winner of each class was chosen to race together again in the final. It was 11:30 am and at last it was time to announce the winners. Participants were curious and nervous while waiting to hear who had won. At that moment Mr. Gurkan announced the results. Mr. Gurkan called each winner to come up and receive their prizes and have photos taken. The prize was a big cake and a coke. After that, we took some photos with our homeroom teachers, assistant teachers and our friends. We took our cakes and we all enjoyed it together. We had a lot of fun during the competition. And then it was the end of the competition.
Thanks to our physics teachers who prepared this amazing competition for all of us.
Physics is not only for boys
By Sintan Som, 11A
Get Set, 3, 2, 1 go
Mr. Gurkan Cil’s voice echoed through the whole school powered by the power of the Electrical Boss amplifier…
Let’s start from the beginning of day, shall we? It was the 25th of December 2010, the day on which the Mousetrap Car Competition was being held. It took place in our School Canteen. Students, both boys and girls were participating in the event. There were lots of girls arriving at school in the morning because their race was in the morning, beginning first and finishing at 12:00.
At about 10 am, the boys started arriving at the school to finish working on their cars. People tested their cars and examined the cars’ movements carefully to see if there was any problem. Some of them who had problems with their car asked their physics teacher to help them. After a few quick repairs, people tried out their cars once again to see if the cars functioned better after adjusting.
Each team worked really hard that day, so hard that they forgot that it was time for lunch, all of them went on working and testing their cars until one of the boys cried out, “Hey! Its 12:30. My stomach is growling for food!” Everyone was stunned to hear that it was 12:30 already. So all of them quickly went out for lunch. At Exactly 1pm, the voice of Mr. Gurkan was heard by the whole school. “Attention! Everyone! The Race is about to start”. After hearing the announcement, all of the boys ran to the canteen.
The Race began by group, starting from grade 7 and continuing up through the grades until grade 12. People were very nervous and excited before the race, keeping busy by warming up their cars outside on the field. Once a car was placed on the starting line, the crowd began to cheer, chant and applaud loudly.
They were really eager to see how far and fast the entries could travel. Each participating group got a chance to race their cars one by one until all of them had been run. The longest distance that was travelled by a car was from 11B, Sereyvuth Savoan and Sereyviseth Chhay, with a distance of 31m. The exciting race, which showcased the determination of the participants, finished at about half past three in the afternoon.
We are very much looking forward to having it again next year.
The Physics is theoretical, but the fun is real.
I would like to extend my thanks to all 464 students, assistant teachers and teachers who joined the Mousetrap Car Race for making this race the most participated in activity of any science activity in school history. And special thanks go to 11-E class for being ready on time for the event, enthusiastic, and well organized during the race. Gurkan CIL
Mousetrap Car Race 2011 Photos
1st Section
2nd Section
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