KidWind Hosts National KidWind Challenge in New Orleans
Student teams compete for the national title with their hand-crafted wind turbines at the AWEA WINDPOWER 2016 Conference & Exhibition
(New Orleans, LA) May 13, 2016 – To celebrate students’ interest in harnessing the power of wind energy, KidWind, the international leader of wind energy education, is hosting its annual National KidWind Challenge, where high school and middle school teams from around the country who have competed regionally and online come together to compete for top honors. The event will take place at the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) WINDPOWER 2016 Conference & Exhibition, the Western Hemisphere’s largest wind power trade show, on Tuesday, May 24, 2016 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans. The student teams will showcase and test their hand-crafted wind turbines in front of wind energy industry experts.
“We expect this year’s competitors in New Orleans to raise the bar again because the students just keep getting more innovative and creative,” said Michael Arquin, Founder of KidWind. “The KidWind Challenge nurtures critical thinking, creativity and problem solving skills through hands-on exploration of clean energy.”
This year’s National KidWind Challenge was made possible through the leadership and generous contributions from GE Renewable Energy and AWEA. Regional KidWind Challenges and other local supporting events were sponsored by Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Dominion, the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, Siemens and Vernier Software & Technology.
KidWind experienced a record number of teams competing in the regional and online challenges in 2015 and expects an even bigger turn-out at the National Challenge. The student teams will test the design and energy output of their wind turbines in the KidWind Wind Tunnel and present their design and building process to a panel of wind energy industry experts. 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 about wind power will be named the 2016 National KidWind Challenge Champions.
The National KidWind Challenge Champions will receive a grand prize of $1,500 in cash and lab equipment from Vernier Software & Technology for their school. Judges will also be awarding cash and prizes to teams for Best Design, Best Teamwork and Creativity in Solving Instant Challenges.
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 New Orleans, May 23-26, 2016. 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.
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