At KidWind Challenges, teams bring a model wind turbine they have built, testing it in a wind tunnel to measure power output. They are also tested on their knowledge about wind, ability to complete an instant challenge, and on a presentation on their project and process. The top two teams from each division (middle and high school) at the state competition qualify for the National competition. Both of Megan’s teams qualified and traveled to Houston to compete against 27 other high school teams from around the country. Incredibly for their first time to Nationals, one of Megan’s teams placed 8th! Her other team also did well, placing 21st in the high school division.
I am honored to have been selected as one of the recipients of the High School Coach’s award at the 2019 Challenge! Allowing my students to experiment with various blade designs, angles, etc without telling them exactly what to do is how I teach my students to learn from mistakes. At the challenge we all learned so much from talking with other teams, coaches, and judges and are very excited about next year’s challenge!
Four coaches at the National competition received recognition, two middle school coaches, and two high school coaches. They were chosen by the judges based on their support for their teams, students’ positive comments on their coach, enthusiasm for KidWind, and dedication to their students. Colleen Fisk, REAP’s Energy Education Director, who has been working with Megan for the last two years said, “It is so great to see an Alaskan coach recognized for their hard work and enthusiasm for this competition. Sometimes we can feel so isolated from the rest of the US, and it is great to see Alaskan students demonstrating their skill and knowledge at the national level, and their coach recognized for her integral role in making that happen. Megan really deserves this honor.”
