High school can be a rollercoaster ride for students — literally in some cases:

Take the two Texas high schoolers who built a 10-foot-high, backyard, wooden rollercoaster — AKA “The Predator.”

Nathan Rubin and Ian Mair, both aspiring engineers, needed only $1,500 (plus a lot of wood and 4,000-plus screws) to build the Predator in Rubin’s backyard.

The Frisco Independent School District (ISD) students came up with the idea last year in their Independent Study and Mentorship (ISM) class. The class prepares students for the working world and enlists companies’ expertise for students’ projects.

Rubin and Mair enlisted Six Flags Great Adventure and Home Depot (which donated money) in their thrill ride.

“This is such a unique opportunity to take highly motivated students, help them build their passions, and launch,” says the ISM teacher, Laura Simpson.

Her response when the boys told her their idea? “I said, ‘Go for it, start your research.’”

Fellow students and teachers have taken turns riding the loud, bumpy Predator. And they’ve all lived to tell about it.

Care to share any similarly ambitious student projects? Tell us about it in the comments section.

Tags: engineering, frisco isd, ian mair, laura simpson, nathan rubin, rollercoaster, Texas