Students take on science and engineering challenges at annual KidWind competition
Gavin Nguyen
DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (KESQ) – The Coachella Valley’s regional KidWind competition returned for its 16th year on Saturday.
The event drew nearly 200 students from ten local middle and high schools. Desert Hot Springs High School hosted the event, filling the gym with fan blades, motors, and more.
Those students have spent the past several months learning about the science of wind energy and turbine construction. Using that knowledge, they designed and built their own wind turbines. Saturday’s competition allowed them to test their designs in wind tunnels.
A panel of judges, which included industry partners, as well as several alumni of the program, also evaluated the designs students submitted.
Organizer and Vice President of Regional Strategy at OneFuture Coachella Valley, Kim McNulty, said the annual event helps introduce a vast numbers of kids to important life and professional skills.
“Over a thousand kids have been introduced to the science of wind energy,” she said. “So we’re really building capacity and it’s fun to see it take place. It’s wonderful for our workforce. It’s a great experience and skills development for the students, and [it’s] just a very fun day.”
The top three teams at both the middle and high school level have advanced to KidWind Worlds, which will take place in May in Madison, Wisconsin.
The overall winners receiving invitations to the KidWind World Competition include the following:
Middle School Division:• 1st Place – Green Energy // Bobby Duke Middle School• 2nd Place – Skull Troopers // Valley View Elementary• 3rd Place – Dynamic Wind // Bobby Duke Elementary SchoolHigh School Division:• 1st Place – Flower Power // Coachella Valley High School• 2nd Place – A&A Engineering // Coachella Valley High School• 3rd Place – Valley Boys // Coachella Valley High School
Judges also awarded six teams with Power Output Awards, which is a local award that does not advance the team to Worlds. Those teams include:
Middle School Division:• 1st Place: Skull Troopers // Valley View Elementary• 2nd Place: Fast N’ Curious // Bobby Duke Middle School• 3rd Place: Wind Emperors // Bobby Duke Middle SchoolHigh School Division:• 1st Place: Flower Power // Coachella Valley High School• 2nd Place: A&A Engineering // Coachella Valley High School• 3rd Place: Valley Boys // Coachella Valley High School
This year’s competition was jointly sponsored by OneFuture Coachella Valley, Palm Springs Unified School District, Coachella Valley Unified School District (CVUSD), The AES Corporation, Riverside County Office of Education, College of the Desert and KidWind.
Stay with us for the latest – and best of luck to these future innovators!