On Saturday, Utah State’s American Society of Mechanical Engineers sponsored North Logan’s first soapbox derby. Designed to build community interest in engineering concepts and creative problem solving, the event took place on a sunny afternoon on a residential downhill road. Families lined the sidewalks of Green Canyon as they waited for the first race to start.
“We actually have a quite a few high school teams participating, which is a really good entry to be like, this is what an engineer does,” said Mahala Sakaeda, next year’s USU ASME president.
Sakaeda worked with event coordinators Thory Van Dyke and Nicholas Huld, two other students, to make the event possible.
“All of us are part of the American Society of mechanical engineers, and we’re all mechanical engineers up at Utah State," Sakaeda said. "We want to make these events reach out to the community and interact with them, kind of show them what engineering is about.”
Despite multiple trial runs to ensure the track’s safety, the first race resulted in an injury to one of the racers; on the downhill slope, he crashed into the curb, hitting his head as he landed. He was wearing a helmet, but ambulances responded to treat his injuries.
After the first race, the course was rerouted to cut out a steeper portion of the track. When the event reached its end, first place went to the team This Name is Temporary, second to Rocket Boys, and third to Scarlet Speedsters. For Sakaeda and the other organizers, this was the culmination of months of planning.
“I love seeing it all come together. Because it’s so much stress trying to do it during your school work and try to balance that," Sakaeda said. "Being able to come today and see all the people show up and everyone have smiles while they’re competing, it’s just been a blast.”
With positive feedback from the city of North Logan, ASME hopes to make the soapbox derby an annual event.
