COCOA, May 3, 2014—Despite discouraging weather forecasts, more than 450 students traveled from as far away as Key West and Tallahassee to compete in the EnergyWhiz Olympics at UCF’s Florida Solar Energy Center today. The sun didn’t shine, but the competitions went on…well, at least part of them.
In the Bright House Solar Energy Cookoff, ovens were judged only on design. The morning started out cloudy and oven temperatures only reached 100 degrees before the heavy rains appeared. Also impacted by the rain was the Junior Solar Sprint (JSS), a model solar car race.
“We were hopeful the rain would go around us, but not this year. It’s the first time in 14 years that we couldn’t hold the Junior Solar Sprint,” said Susan Schleith, K-12 education coordinator at FSEC.
The JSS and cooking portion of the solar ovens have been postponed until next week.
Not severely impacted by the rain were Energy Innovations, a full-scale solar electric design and marketing challenge, and the Critter Comfort Cottage, an energy-efficient and green building pet home design competition.
Independent of the weather was the Hydrogen Challenge, where students utilized a fuel cell in a creative timing apparatus, built with several Rube Goldberg-type steps.
“Join us Saturday, May 12 as performance of the solar cookers and car designs are put to the test. Vehicles will be raced and teams will cook their solar recipes for culinary experts to experience,” said Schleith.
WINNERS
Solar Energy Cookoff
Best Design – Elementary Division
1st Place – Ocean Breeze Elementary, Indian Harbour Beach
2nd Place – Lewis Carroll Elementary, Merritt Island
3rd Place – Martinez Middle, Lutz
Best Design – Middle School Division
1st Place – Lake Nona Middle, Orlando
2nd Place – Girl Scout Troop 30027, Stuart
3rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
Best Design – High School Division
1st Place – Pine Ridge High, Deltona
2nd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
WOW! Award – Elementary Division
Ocean Breeze Elementary, Indian Harbour Beach
WOW! Award – Middle School Division
Lake Nona Middle, Orlando
WOW! Award – High School Division
Lyman High, Longwood
Hydrogen Challenge
1st Place – Lake Nona Middle, Orlando
2nd Place – Milwee Middle, Longwood
3rd Place – Hidden Oaks Middle, Palm City
Precision Award – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
WOW! Award – Lake Nona Middle, Orlando
Energy Innovations
Middle School Division
1st Place – Gulf Coast Academy, Palm City
2nd Place – Global Prospective, West Palm Beach
3rd Place – Milwee Middle, Longwood
High School Division
1st Place – Key West High, Key West
2nd Place – Island Coast High, Cape Coral
3rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
WOW! Award Middle School Division
Gulf Coast Academy, Palm City
WOW! Award High School Division
Key West High, Key West
Critter Comfort Cottage
Middle School Division
1st Place – Hidden Oaks Middle, Palm City
2nd Place – Hidden Oaks Middle, Palm City
3rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High
High School Division
1st Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
2nd Place – Key West High, Key West
3rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
WOW! Award – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
Junior Solar Sprint
Best Design – Elementary Division
1st Place – Gulf Coast Middle, Spring Hill
2nd Place – Martinez Middle, Lutz
3rd Place – Imagine Charter of North Lauderdale, North Lauderdale
Best Design – Middle School Division
1st Place – Brandon Robotics Engineering Academy, Brandon
2nd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
3rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island
Most Innovative – Elementary Division
1st Place – Gulf Coast Middle, Spring Hill
2nd Place – Gulf Coast Middle, Spring Hill
3rd Place – Pine View School, Osprey
Most Innovative – Middle School Division
1st Place – Conway Middle, Orlando
2nd Place – Brandon Robotics Engineering Academy, Brandon
3rd Place – Cocoa Jr/Sr High, Cocoa
For more information, contact:
- Sherri Shields, Communications Director, 321-638-1019, sherri@fsec.ucf.edu
- Susan Schleith, K-12 Education Coordinator, 321-638-1017, susan@fsec.ucf.edu
High Resolution Photos Available at: http://www.fsec.ucf.edu/download/communications/
About FSEC: The Florida Solar Energy Center, a research institute of the University of Central Florida, is the largest and most active state-supported energy research institute in the nation. Current divisions and their research activities include Advanced Energy Research: alternative transportation fuels, batteries, hydrogen fuel and fuel cells; Buildings Research: energy-efficient buildings; and Solar Energy: solar water and pool heating, and photovoltaic (solar electric) systems. For more information about the center, visit http://www.floridaenergycenter.org or call the FSEC Public Affairs Office at
321-638-1015.
America’s Partnership University: The University of Central Florida, the nation’s second-largest university with nearly 60,000 students, has grown in size, quality, diversity and reputation in its first 50 years. Today, the university offers more than 200 degree programs at its main campus in Orlando and more than a dozen other locations. UCF is an economic engine attracting and supporting industries vital to the region’s future while providing students with
real-world experiences that help them succeed after graduation. For more information, visit http://today.ucf.edu.
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