Starting last year, WJ seniors had the opportunity to take a semester of a limited list of college courses taught by University of Maryland professors. This year, about 30 students signed up for ENES 100, the first course all college engineering students must take, regardless of their engineering program.

Atypical of high school scheduling, the class met every Monday, Wednesday and Friday with their professor and teaching assistant. During the first month of instruction, the students sat through lectures and were quizzed on the information. Starting in October, the class was divided into teams of five or six students who then worked together to design, construct and test their own hovercraft.

“Initially, I was completely overwhelmed by the lectures,” said senior Michelle Gilbert. “So much information was thrown at you in so little time [that] it was hard to take in.”

Despite the initial difficulty, Gilbert and her teammates showed up strong at the UMD Hovercraft competition held on Dec. 10. Each hovercraft was judged by how fast it took to independently complete a three step course. First, the hovercraft must follow a black line into the rectangular arena, find and navigate to a pedestal where a payload sits and pick up the load.

“Our hovercraft, Team 2Fly, did a perfect test run twice in a row, and then on our first time run it hit the door to the arena and didn’t even make it to [the first level],” said Gilbert. “However, the next run it was fine and completed the course in two minutes [and] 23 seconds.”

This was enough to win third place overall, beating out college students, as well as receiving a craftsmanship award for a well-built hovercraft. Gilbert and fellow teammate senior Ben Berger owe their success to the numerous hours spent with their team.

“[Constructing your hovercraft] takes so much time and aggravation,” said Berger. “One day your hovercraft will work perfectly and the next it can’t move straight, it takes lots of patience.”

Gilbert and Berger have learned a tremendous amount, not just about the technicalities of engineering, but also the value of teamwork. Both are excited to apply their experiences with the class to their college studies and beyond.