The Middle School Solar Team- 1st Place KidWind VA State

On April 11, five Makersmiths, Inc. KidWind teams competed in both the wind and solar events at the KidWind Virginia State Challenge at James Madison University. The Middle school solar team (called Error 404: Team Not Found) came in first place in their grade division and will go on to the KidWind Worlds Challenge at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, Wisconsin May 16-20. Other Makersmiths winning teams were the high school solar team (called Salamander 6) that tied for second place, the high school wind team (called the Cardinal Directions) came in third place, and the middle school wind team (called Microsoft Wind Support) came in third place. Although the elementary wind team (called the Hurricanes) did not place at the state level, the team won first place in the Northern Virginia Regional Challenge at George Mason University’s Potomac Science Center in Woodbridge on March 17. 

While participating in a KidWind initiatives, KidWind teams learn about physics, engineering, environmental science and green energy initiatives as they:

• Conduct background research, plan and build an innovative and functional turbine or solar project that will produce power.
• Test their team’s turbine or solar project and calculate its power output to improve its design.
• Compete in challenges that include showcasing their projects, completing a knowledge quiz and explaining their projects to judges that are energy experts, science educators and energy industry representatives.

To learn more about this fantastic STEM initiative that teaches youth about renewable energies, visit www.kidwind.org.