ZEELAND — An annual tradition at Zeeland’s Quincy Elementary School recently celebrated 10 years of fun-filled, STEM-based learning for students.

Fifth-graders at Quincy participated in the annual “Ikidarod” challenge Friday, Feb. 16, with students from all grades welcomed as spectators.

The Ikidarod, named in reference to the famous Iditarod, sees teams of students design and build human-powered dog sleds. At the end of the project, students race their sleds in a friendly competition.

It’s considered a “rite of passage” for students at Quincy, a release from the district said.

Students spend a week using prior knowledge and creativity to design, build and tweak their sleds. Teams select a “musher” to ride on the sled on race day, while the rest of the students pull.

Teacher Ben Braymer leads the project. He’s previously told The Sentinel using the Iditarod in class helps motivate students and engage them in designing, building, testing and adjusting their product.

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ZPS and Quincy thanked Zeeland Lumber, which once again donated wood to build sleds, as well as parents and community members who provided supplies to make the Ikidarod possible.

The Iditarod is an annual days-long trek on dog sleds through Alaska. It began in 1973. This year’s race begins March 3.

— Contact reporter Mitchell Boatman at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Quincy Elementary holds 10th annual ‘Ikidarod’