During the “ultimate wind energy learning experience,” students will demonstrate their knowledge of wind power and showcase and test their handcrafted wind turbines
About 80 students from more than 20 high school teams and 10 middle school teams who designed and build functioning wind turbines will meet at Henley High School, at Saturday, April 13, 2019, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is open to the public and will include hands-on activities for youth and others coming to watch the competition. **
Students competing in the KidWind Challenge will test their wind turbines’ energy output in a high-speed wind tunnel. Students will also complete a renewable energy knowledge quiz, participate in an “instant challenge” to test their problem-solving and engineering skills, and present their design process to a panel of expert judges. The teams to place first and second in their age division (4th- through 8th-grade) and (9- through 12-grade) will represent Oregon at the 2019 National KidWind Challenge in Houston on May 20-23, 2019.
**FOR THE PUBLIC: There also will be a CO2 car race demonstration, a component that will be added to the competition next year. Representatives from the Oregon Institute of Technology will be onsite showcasing their Baja and Formula 1 racecars and members of several Henley High School clubs will offer hands-on activities for students coming to watch the event.
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 event is sponsored by KidWind, as well as Dutch Bros Coffee, the Oregon Institute of Technology, and VernierSoftware & Technology.