Now This is Just Cool

An article in today's New Jersey Herald has pointed out the power public education can have on the lives of students, and how fun it can be.

Being submerged in 20 feet of water in order to pilot a submarine with a propulsion system modeled after an exercise machine may seem like a daunting task. However, for instructor Chris Land and his Engineering Technology class from the Sussex Technical School, it is the culmination of a year-long project in which the students designed and constructed their own underwater vehicle.

"We're the only high school in the world to design, build, and operate a human-powered submarine," Land said. "We've been working since the absolute beginning of school."

On Sunday, Land and his class will set out for Bethesda, Maryland, where they will compete in the 9th International Submarine Races; Sussex Tech is the only high school entered, and will face competition from universities and independent builders. This is the third time that Land will bring a submarine to the biennial competition, which will take place at Maryland's Naval Surface Warfare Center from June 24-29.

I had the privilege of speaking at Sussex Tech last year as part of the campaign, and it is an amazing institution with amazing students. I wrote about the experience here, and it still ranks as one of my favorite stops last year. Congratulations to the kids in the program and good luck.