A total of 267 middle and high school students competed in this year’s National KidWind Challenge during the AWEA WINDPOWER 2017 Conference & Exhibition
(Anaheim, CA) May 30, 2017 – To inspire students in grades 4-12 to explore their passion for renewable energy and engineering, KidWind, the international leader of clean energy education, hosted the National KidWind Challenge at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WINDPOWER 2017 Conference & Exhibition in Anaheim last week.
A total of 23 high school and 33 middle school teams competed for the chance to win the grand prize of $1,000, the second place prize of $500, and the third place prize of $250.
A total of 23 high school and 33 middle school teams competed for the chance to win the grand prize of $1,000, the second place prize of $500, and the third place prize of $250.
The 2017 National KidWind Challenge Champions are:
High School Division:
o First Place – Off the Grid from The Learning Barn in Troutville, VA
o Second Place - The Tuttle Windys from Tuttle High School in Tuttle, OK
o Third Place - Windicorns from Franklin High School and Cleveland High School in Seattle, WA
Middle School Division:
o First Place - Phish Phoil from Jack Jouett Middle School in Charlottesville, VA
o Second Place - SPINNERS from Lanier Middle School in Fairfax, VA
o Third Place - Aeolus from Herndon, VA
The teams competed by designing and building hand-crafted wind turbines, testing their energy output in the KidWind Wind Tunnel, presenting their designs to judges, and performing several “Instant Challenges” – problem-solving engineering tasks that are unknown to each team prior to the National Challenge. The teams from both the middle school and high school divisions with the highest energy output, the most innovative design, and the greatest demonstrated knowledge of wind power were named the 2017 National KidWind Challenge Champions.
“We had record-breaking participation this year, and the level of creativity and skill exhibited by the student designs was amazing,” said Michael Arquin, Founder of KidWind. “It clearly demonstrates that participating in the KidWind Challenge helps spark students’ interest in renewable energy, engineering and science - we’ve met our goal.”
The KidWind Challenge is a nationwide initiative to help students learn about renewable energy and hone their engineering skills through the spirit of competition. During the 2016-17 season, the KidWind Challenge traveled to 26 locations and actively engaged with approximately 5,000 students in grades 4-12. Since the first event in 2009, the KidWind Challenge has hosted more than 16,000 students at 149 events across 19 states.
The National KidWind Challenge was made possible through the leadership and generous contributions from AWEA, GE, Vernier Software & Technology, and the title sponsor, Pattern Energy. The KidWind Challenge Events and other local supporting events were sponsored by Alliant Energy, Appalachian Energy Center, Avangrid Renewables, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Dominion, EDP Renewables, ENEL Green Power North America, Google, National Society for Black Engineers, and Southern Power.
For more information about the KidWind Challenge, visit: kidwindchallenge.org.
About AWEA
AWEA is the national trade association of the U.S. wind energy industry, with over 800 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the Western Hemisphere’s largest wind power trade show, the AWEA WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, which takes place next in Anaheim, CA, May 22-25, 2017. AWEA is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger America. Look up information on wind energy at the AWEA website. Find insight on industry issues at AWEA's blog Into the Wind. Join AWEA on Facebook. Follow AWEA on Twitter.
About the KidWind Challenge
The KidWind Challenge is the ultimate wind energy learning experience. Students discover the promise and limitations of wind energy technology while designing, building, and testing a functional wind turbine and competing with their peers in a supportive environment. The KidWind Challenge was developed in 2009 by the KidWind Project, an international leader in wind energy education, and has been embraced and supported by leading energy industry companies since its start. For information on how to get involved, go to kidwindchallenge.org.
High School Division:
o First Place – Off the Grid from The Learning Barn in Troutville, VA
o Second Place - The Tuttle Windys from Tuttle High School in Tuttle, OK
o Third Place - Windicorns from Franklin High School and Cleveland High School in Seattle, WA
Middle School Division:
o First Place - Phish Phoil from Jack Jouett Middle School in Charlottesville, VA
o Second Place - SPINNERS from Lanier Middle School in Fairfax, VA
o Third Place - Aeolus from Herndon, VA
The teams competed by designing and building hand-crafted wind turbines, testing their energy output in the KidWind Wind Tunnel, presenting their designs to judges, and performing several “Instant Challenges” – problem-solving engineering tasks that are unknown to each team prior to the National Challenge. The teams from both the middle school and high school divisions with the highest energy output, the most innovative design, and the greatest demonstrated knowledge of wind power were named the 2017 National KidWind Challenge Champions.
“We had record-breaking participation this year, and the level of creativity and skill exhibited by the student designs was amazing,” said Michael Arquin, Founder of KidWind. “It clearly demonstrates that participating in the KidWind Challenge helps spark students’ interest in renewable energy, engineering and science - we’ve met our goal.”
The KidWind Challenge is a nationwide initiative to help students learn about renewable energy and hone their engineering skills through the spirit of competition. During the 2016-17 season, the KidWind Challenge traveled to 26 locations and actively engaged with approximately 5,000 students in grades 4-12. Since the first event in 2009, the KidWind Challenge has hosted more than 16,000 students at 149 events across 19 states.
The National KidWind Challenge was made possible through the leadership and generous contributions from AWEA, GE, Vernier Software & Technology, and the title sponsor, Pattern Energy. The KidWind Challenge Events and other local supporting events were sponsored by Alliant Energy, Appalachian Energy Center, Avangrid Renewables, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Dominion, EDP Renewables, ENEL Green Power North America, Google, National Society for Black Engineers, and Southern Power.
For more information about the KidWind Challenge, visit: kidwindchallenge.org.
About AWEA
AWEA is the national trade association of the U.S. wind energy industry, with over 800 member companies, including global leaders in wind power and energy development, wind turbine manufacturing, component and service suppliers, and the Western Hemisphere’s largest wind power trade show, the AWEA WINDPOWER Conference & Exhibition, which takes place next in Anaheim, CA, May 22-25, 2017. AWEA is the voice of wind energy in the U.S., promoting renewable energy to power a cleaner, stronger America. Look up information on wind energy at the AWEA website. Find insight on industry issues at AWEA's blog Into the Wind. Join AWEA on Facebook. Follow AWEA on Twitter.
About the KidWind Challenge
The KidWind Challenge is the ultimate wind energy learning experience. Students discover the promise and limitations of wind energy technology while designing, building, and testing a functional wind turbine and competing with their peers in a supportive environment. The KidWind Challenge was developed in 2009 by the KidWind Project, an international leader in wind energy education, and has been embraced and supported by leading energy industry companies since its start. For information on how to get involved, go to kidwindchallenge.org.
