Imagine being offered the chance to show your friends and all your classmates that you might be the best driver in school.
The bragging rights would be something that you could carry throughout the rest of your time in high school.
That’s what a few groups of students at Outlook High School have a shot at after the school hosted its first-ever Best Driver Challenge on Friday, October 12.
Taking place on the grounds of the Jim Kook Rec Plex, the event saw a maze constructed out of pylons (supplied by the town) that teams of students had to drive through, as well as maneuver around. Not only did they have to drive forward through the maze and check points, they had to slip gears into reverse and do the whole thing backwards.
The whole thing was viewed and judged by OHS teacher Keith Theoret, who said the event was all about getting kids involved in vehicle safety and realizing what driver skills they have and what they can improve on. Along for the rides with the students was Cst. Jesse Kimball of the Outlook RCMP, speaking to the kids on the finer points of driver safety.
Playing for points and accuracy, the student drivers were rated on pylon contact, how close they could pull up to obstacles without making contact, and how quick they could complete the course. The students used a Ford Explorer for the course, provided by Regal Ford. This particular vehicle features a back-up camera, which Theoret said the kids could use to maneuver the SUV in reverse on the course, or they could gain extra points by not utilizing it.
“It’s all about having a positive experience in driving and also building positive relationships,” said Keith. “The sarge said he’d have somebody for me at the drop of a hat to help us with this, and it means a lot to us to have Cst. Kimball here and to give her time to the kids.”
Known as a car rodeo in some parts, the event is something that Theoret hopes can become an annual thing at OHS, helping senior students fine-tune those driving skills and learning how to work together as a team, both with each other and with local law enforcement.
As for who the winning drivers on the course were, those names are set to be revealed at the school’s next assembly.
