Press Releases

A celebration of the technological and artistic prowess of students.

SEASIDE, Calif. - Students at Chartwell School will participate in this premier sporting event on Friday, April 11, 2003 at 10:30AM at Chartwell School. This event promises to be more than a race between wooden cars the students have fashioned; it is a celebration of the technological and artistic prowess of the students. Chartwell students study the physics of these simple cars in science and learn how the shape of the car, the ease with which the wheels roll, and center of gravity all influence the speed of the car.

The students, with limited parent input, then create the cars at home. The fine-tuning however, such as sanding, painting and decorating is entirely up to the student and is often done in art class. In addition to the race, students will also participate in a "Concours D'elegance", at which cars are awarded prizes in the following categories: best shape, best paint job, most creative, most likely to win, funniest and weirdest.

Each race participant must follow a strict set of rules which includes the following:

• Cars must be made from kits provided, and be made by the racer
• 5 oz maximum weight, must be exactly 7 inches long
• Standard wheels and nails must be used & wheels must be 2 in. apart
• Bottom of car should be standard height, and height may be increased within reason
• No oil may be used to lubricate the wheels, graphite is okay
• Vintage cars from previous years are allowed
• Each car must have a name

The Mission of Chartwell School is to educate children with Dyslexia and other related language learning disabilities in a way that provides them with the learning skills and self esteem necessary to return successfully to mainstream education.