Six Alaska teams have been invited to the World KidWind competition after 28 teams competed in person and virtually for the top spots in Alaska’s Clean Energy Olympics. Elementary, middle, and high school teams across the state built model wind and solar projects and presented them to a panel of judges. Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage teams competed in person at Begich Middle School on March 29th, testing their designs in a wind tunnel or under a light array. Virtual teams competed through April 3rd, presenting to REAP Educators.
These fourth through 12th grade students have been working on the designs for a chance to win big and travel to the World Kidwind competition in Phoenix, Arizona next month. Some students have been working on their designs since fall, others only had a couple weeks in class, but they all showed up to prove their mettle.
Full Results
Elementary Wind
- 1st Place: JEMS (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)*
- 2nd Place: AK Blade Runners (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)
- 3rd Place: Arctic Hawks (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)
Elementary Solar
- 1st Place: AKA Solar Home (Kincaid Elementary, Anchorage)*
Middle School Wind
- 1st Place: Carbon Footprint (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)
- 2nd Place: Victory Volts (Romig Middle School, Anchorage)*
- 3rd Place: Wind Sisters (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)
Middle School Wind Open Generator Division
- 1st Place: Four Musketeers (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)*
- 2nd Place: NAW (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)
Virtual Middle School Wind
- 1st Place: Qughsatkut Wind Blazers (John Apangalook School, Gambell)*
Middle School Solar
- 1st Place: Solar Dynamo (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)*
- 2nd Place: Solar Gals (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)
- 3rd Place: Sunny Disposition (American Charter Academy, Wasilla)
Virtual High School Wind
- 1st Place: Cordova (Cordova High School, Cordova)
- 2nd Place: The 3 Speedsters (North Pole High School, North Pole)
- 3rd Place: The Timberwolves (Howard Valentine School, Coffman Cove)
Virtual High School Solar
- 1st Place: The Timberwolves (Howard Valentine School, Coffman Cove)
Teams with an asterisk (*) were invited to the World KidWind Competition in Phoenix next month.
Special Recognition Awards
- Spirit of Kidwind (showing resilience despite setbacks): Bald Eagles (Clark Middle School) and Rosy Pelicans (Clark Middle School)
- Rookie of the Year: Arctic Hawks and AKA Solar Home
- Radiating Vibes (great teamwork): Sky Highs (Kincaid Elementary, Anchorage) and Wind Sisters
- Picasso (artsy design): Puppers (Talkeetna Elementary) and Wind Huskies (Academy Charter School, Palmer)
- Xtra-Tuf: Sunny Disposition
- Sustainability: Solar Dynamo and Victory Volts
- Arctic Innovation: Arctic Wind Bender (Brevig Mission School)
- Bushcraft: The Timberwolves
- Sivuqaq (cultural excellence award): Qughsatkut Wind Blazers
Instant Challenge: Four Musketeers
Instant Challenge Winner: Four Musketeers
In this challenge at the in-person competition, students came into a room without any knowledge of the activity they were about to complete. This year, students attempted to wire solar panels together to a motor to pump water the highest distance possible. The results from the instant challenge did not impact their overall scores.
Participant Spotlight
Qughsatkut Wind Blazers – John Apangalook School – Gambell
The team of four middle schoolers from Gambell named their team “Polar Bear” in Yup’ik, fitting for a team who used whale baleen and walrus ivory to build their turbine blades. Three of the four students are returning from a 2023 team who traveled to the National KidWind Competition where they won the coveted “Blade Engineer” award.
“The experiences and challenges our team faced during the 2023 National KidWind Competition ignited our passion to participate once more. The trophy we brought back to Gambell is a source of pride, showcasing our spirit. While we may not build the most powerful turbines, we proudly represented our rich culture and close-knit whaling community. We continue to utilize our unique materials in crafting our wind blades.”
You can donate to support their travel to Worlds here.
Participant Spotlight
Coach Carol Drake – American Charter Academy
A leading force behind American Charter Academy’s high participation and success in the Clean Energy Olympics competition is their coach, Carol Drake. Ms. Drake is a retired science teacher. She took the Clean Energy Olympics training for coaches with REAP’s Energy Education Director, Colleen Fisk, seven years ago and has been supporting American Charter Academy teams through the competition ever since.
This year, 30 percent of American Charter Academy’s 4th through 8th grade students participated in the CEO. Ms. Drake and her coaching partner, husband Dan Drake, also supported Talkeetna Elementary’s coach and teams in their first competition. Shana La Lomia-Blakenship is a new teacher at American Charter Academy this year and has been learning the ropes from the Drakes.
Ms. Drake helps introduce the competition to students as early as 4th grade, and many of her students participate in the competition year after year. While Ms. Drake has led many teams through the competition, and shares hub and tower designs from previous teams, she explained the projects are primarily student-led. Students come up with the idea for their designs on their own, and then she supports students as they turn their ideas into unique model wind turbines and solar projects.
“Take a careful look at all the projects. No two designs are the same. The competition is a new experience each year for me and for the students.” Carol Drake, American Charter Academy Coach
Participant Spotlight
Solar Dynamo – Rosemary from American Charter Academy
Rosemary, a middle school student from American Charter Academy, was one of Ms. Drake’s students who returned for another year of the competition. Last year, Rosemary participated in the wind division with a team and noted that her teammate “carried her” through the competition.
This year, she carried herself through the competition with her own solar design as “Solar Dynamo.” She designed a colorful and dynamic solar-powered amusement house that included a moving tea cup ride, a ferris wheel, a kitchen, two bedrooms, a bathroom, a sofa, a bookcase, and heated floors inspired by her own home.
You can donate to support American Charter Academy Teams with their travel to Worlds here.
Participant Spotlight
Victory Volts – Teslin and Violet from Romig Middle School
Another team advancing to the World KidWind competition in Phoenix is Victory Volts, middle schoolers Teslin and Violet Romig Middle School. They didn’t know they would be participating in the Clean Energy Olympics until two weeks before the competition. When their wind turbine design measured over 18 Joules, the highest measurement of all the designs in the school, their science teacher invited them to participate in the Clean Energy Olympics. It was both girls’ first time participating in the competition, and they even designed their own shirts.
And they had an eventful start to the competition when one of the screws that held their wind turbine together broke. Fortunately, they brought the issue to the attention of the judges, and they were able to come up with a solution before the competition began. Beyond preparing for the competition within a short timeline and adapting to unexpected challenges, Teslin and Violet noted that they are coming up with solutions to big challenges in their science class, where they’re using the Renewable Energy Atlas of Alaska, a collaborative educational publication by REAP and Alaska Energy Authority, to determine the best locations for future renewable energy projects in the state.
It Takes a Village
Ninety-four students across the state participated in the 7th Annual Clean Energy Olympics, which started in 2018 with a few wind teams competing in Anchorage. Year after year, the competition celebrates student innovation, problem solving, collaboration, and creativity.
Thank you to all of our sponsors, volunteer judges, coaches, and parents for supporting Alaska’s young engineers!
