April 14th, 2025

By Ivy and Iva, WRDSB students

Thirteen custom electric cars. Thirteen schools across Ontario. Twelve volts and sixty minutes. Who will be victorious?

Excitement was in the air. The parking lot was filled with students, teachers and spectators, all excited to see the outcome of the race. Many WRDSB schools participated in the race, including Bluevale Collegiate Institute, Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School, Laurel Heights Secondary School, and Waterloo Collegiate Institute.

As one student shared about her school’s electric car team, said “the most rewarding part of working on this project is that you can see the success, which can only occur through a diverse skill set and everyone working together to create a better final project.”

Building and racing an electric car takes a huge amount of work, collaboration and initiative. The exhilaration and pride were evident on so many faces. This year’s kickoff race included thirteen schools and over a hundred students; the biggest turnout in the history of the race! The crowd consisted of not only students. Parents sat in lawn chairs, chatting and waiting in anticipation for the race.

Many teachers felt confident and impressed because of this. “I feel optimistic about the race. There’s a good turnout, lots of people and schools, especially for the fall kickoff,” said a WRDSB teacher.

Students dressed in their school colours buzzed around, scouting out the competition, chatting about the unique designs and various shapes of the electric vehicles, and debating who would be crowned the winner of the fall race. It was a beautiful day for the race; the sun was shining, and the skies were clear.

As we walked across the parking lot, we couldn’t help but marvel at each car’s unique designs and shapes. Even though the end goal was the same, everyone had their unique spin for creativity and efficiency.

As the race was about to begin and students hustled to strap in batteries and run last-minute checks, we interviewed Kalli-Ann, a Bluevale student.

“We have been working hard to build a good car,” said Kalli-Ann. “In an endurance race, the most important thing is to use the battery effectively, maintain a constant speed, and, of course, don’t crash!”

We also asked Bluevale’s club teachers about what they thought were the most important aspects of the race.

One staff member emphasized the importance of staying focused, adding that “it’s important to keep the drivers calm, to run our own race and not get caught in others’ drama!” Mr. Ross highlighted the priority of “clean pit stops!”

As students from various schools wished each other the best of luck, the green flag was waved, and instantly, the racers were off. Some students were so involved in the race that when asked about their thoughts as spectators, they could only say, “Cool!”

Lap after lap, the cars zoomed across the track, each school hoping to win gold. The race wasn’t about speed; rather, it was about efficiency and how many laps you could drive during the one-hour time limit. As cars drove past the spectators, cheers arose. The fall kickoff race was a friendly competition, more for fun than to be competitive. That, however, did not stop the lively debates about which team had the best car or if the shapes of the vehicles affected aerodynamics or weight.

As per the rules, each car had to have two pit stops, which also allowed more drivers to have a turn at the wheel. The drivers would have to drive to a designated area, stop and get out of the car while another driver entered; an art that was best completed quickly.

When asked about the importance of pit stops, Anna from Bluevale told us, “Pit stops are insanely important, especially if you want to place. A good or bad pit can result in gaining or losing a lap, which makes all the difference between placements.”

As the race progressed, it was evident that some cars were starting to slow down while others continued at a similar pace. Speculating the reasoning behind this was a popular sport among the onlookers. Adrenaline was pumping in racers and observers as they watched sharp turns, almost collisions and near misses. After 60 minutes, the race was finished. Teachers and students alike celebrated their achievements with high fives and cheers.

It was then time for the final standings to be announced! After much anticipation and suspense, first place was awarded to Humberview Secondary School, with 69 laps! Quite a feat, especially in a 60-minute race.

The WRDSB schools did great as well. Bluevale Collegiate Institute placed second, while Waterloo Collegiate Institute, Laurel Heights Secondary School and Kitchener-Waterloo Collegiate and Vocational School, placed fourth, fifth and sixth, respectively. All the teams did great, and almost all of the cars were able to run all sixty minutes. Through the competition and the journey leading up to it, students gained valuable experiences and insight into collaboration, initiative and independent exploration, all important skills that resulted in a rewarding and exciting end product.

#StudentVoice Series

This article is written by a WRDSB student and is part of the Student Agency and Voice program. Student journalists embody WRDSB’s commitment to creating space for students to tell their stories. They are ambassadors for their peers as they share their personal experiences and stories about their schools and communities in their unique voices.