Critter Comfort Cottage

2022 EnergyWhiz Winners

Stephanie Salmon Awards, Continuing Education, Energy News, Feature Story, K-12 Education, Press Release May 3, 2022May 3, 2022Critter Comfort Cottage, elementary school, Energy Innovations, energy inspired art, Energy Transfer Machine, EnergyWhiz, Florida, high school, Junior Solar Sprint, Middle School, solar cooking, Solar Energy Cook-off 0 Comment

Junior Solar Sprint

Green Division (Grades 3 – 5)
Best Design
1st Place – The Limo – Pine Crest School (Ft. Lauderdale)
Teacher – Kris Swanson
2nd Place – The PC Mobile – Pine Crest School (Ft. Lauderdale)
Teacher – Kris Swanson
3rd Place – HELIOS – The Bonds – NSU University School (Ft. Lauderdale)
Teacher – Michele Murray-Garren
Most Innovative
1st Place – The Limo – Pine Crest School (Ft. Lauderdale)
Teacher – Kris Swanson
2nd Place – Ocean Odyssey – Buck Lake Elementary (Tallahassee)
Teacher – Kim Perez
3rd Place – Mordor – Buck Lake Elementary (Tallahassee)
Teacher – Kim Perez
Race
1st Place – Sun Runners – Orlando Science (Orlando)
Teacher – Amy Trujillo
2nd Place – The Bonds – NSU University School (Ft. Lauderdale)
Teacher – Michele Murray-Garren
3rd Place – The Lightning Sharks – NSU University School (Ft. Lauderdale)
Teacher – Michele Murray-Garren

Blue Division (Grades 6 – 8)
Best Design
1st Place – The Rovers – Parkland STEM Club (Plantation)
Teacher – John Garren
2nd Place – The Milwee Falcons – Milwee Middle (Longwood)
Teacher – Carol Unterreiner
3rd Place – Meowzster – Cornerstone Learning Community (Tallahassee)
Teacher – Karen Metcalf
Most Innovative
1st Place – Panther Engineering G8 – Pine Crest School (Ft. Lauderdale)
Teacher – Kris Swanson
2nd Place – The Rovers – Parkland STEM Club (Plantation)
Teacher – John Garren
3rd Place – Meowzster – Cornerstone Learning Community (Tallahassee)
Teacher – Karen Metcalf
Race
1st Place – The Rovers – Parkland STEM Club (Plantation)
Teacher – John Garren
2nd Place – Meowzster – Cornerstone Learning Community (Tallahassee)
Teacher – Karen Metcalf
3rd Place – The Milwee Falcons – Milwee Middle (Longwood)
Teacher – Carol Unterreiner

2022 Virtual EnergyWhiz Winners

Sherri Shields Feature Story, K-12 Education February 21, 2022May 3, 2022Critter Comfort Cottage, Energy Transfer Machine, EnergyWhiz, Junior Solar Sprint, solar cooking 1 Comment

Grades 3 – 5

1st Place – Team Caterpillar Castle – Sally Ride Elementary (Orlando)
Teacher – Betty Berriz
Students – Zola, Kensleigh

2nd Place – Critter Cottage Crew – Ocean Breeze Elementary (Indian Harbor Beach)
Teacher – Holly Mentillo
Students – Ellie, Faith, Finley, Kenzie, Micheala

3rd Place – Lizard Lovers – Zellwood Elementary (Zellwood)
Teacher – Pamela Owens
Students – Annika, Samatha, Della

Grades 6 – 8

1st Place – Robo-Hamstyer Cottage – Carwise Middle (Palm Harbor)
Teacher – Bettie Rossie
Students – Rita, Matias, Mya

2nd Place – Bunny Builders – Carwise Middle (Palm Harbor)
Teacher – Bettie Rossie
Students – Riat, Matias, Mya

3rd Place – WMS Warrior Guinea Pig House – Westridge Middle (Orlando)
Teacher – Isidra Legarov Jr.
Students – Nethanya, Elza, Emily

Grades 9 – 12

1st Place – Aquaponic Fish Tank – Lakewood High (St. Petersburg)
Teacher – Jennifer Pacowta
Students – Kieran, Borislava, Macie

2nd Place – Birdhouse–GC Team – Lakewood High (St. Petersburg)
Teacher – Jennifer Pacowta
Students – Cayla, Gavriel

Cloudy Skies Add to Real-World Learning Challenges at EnergyWhiz

Sherri Shields Awards, Feature Story, Media Advisory May 21, 2018May 14, 2021Critter Comfort Cottage, Energy Innovations, Energy Transfer Machine, EnergyWhiz, JSS, Junior Solar Sprint, Solar Energy Cook-off 1 Comment

By Sherri Shields

COCOA, Fla., May 21, 2018—A blanket of cloud-covered skies can be a real challenge for students to race Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) cars and keep solar oven temperatures sufficient for cooking.

Sam’s Speed Shop from McLane Middle School in Brandon, FL won first place in Race competition, second place in Most Innovative Design, and third place in the Best Design competition in the Blue Division (grades 7&8). *Photo: Liza Robles*

Although the sun never peeked through the clouds for the EnergyWhiz competitions on Saturday, May 12^th, at the University of Central Florida’s Florida Solar Energy Center in Cocoa, the JSS cars were still able to race. “One thing we’ve learned since hosting EnergyWhiz for the past 15 years is that if you want to stay on schedule, you need a backup plan in case the weather doesn’t cooperate,” said Susan Schleith, K-12 Education program director. “Battery backup is now an essential part of the car design, for situations like this.”

Female student from Saturn Elementary School and a male student prepare to race their Junior Solar Sprint cars, which were modified to run on batteries instead of solar due to the cloudy sky. — Female student from Students prepare to race their Junior Solar Sprint cars, which were modified to run on batteries instead of solar due to the cloudy sky. *Photo: Leon Flowers*

Energized Students Infectious at Statewide Renewable Energy Competition

Sherri Shields Awards, Energy News, Press Release June 5, 2017June 30, 2017Critter Comfort Cottage, Electrathon, Energy Innovations, JSS, Junior Solar Sprint, pet house, Photovoltaics, PV, renewable energy, solar, solar cooking, Solar Energy Cook-off, solar ovens, solar panels 1 Comment

COCOA, June 5, 2017—Nearly 50 schools across Florida—from Key West and Tallahassee—participated in this year’s EnergyWhiz competition last month at the University of Central Florida’s Florida Solar Energy Center.

More than 115 teams, which included nearly 500 students, prepared their projects for competition: model-sized solar cars for the Junior Solar Sprint (JSS), solar ovens for the Cook-off, full-scale photovoltaic panels for Energy Innovations, energy-efficient animal homes for the Critter Comfort Cottage competition, and go-cart-sized electric cars for the Electrathon.

In the longest running event, JSS, cars underwent inspection, design judging, time-trials, and new this year, team interviews. “Questions from judges may sometimes be intimidating, but interviews give students the opportunity to shine when they’ve put their heart and soul into a project,” said Guytri Still, JSS lead design judge and former middle school science teacher.

Long table with students on one side, inspectors on other side. JSS car being weighed in. — Junior Solar Sprint cars are inspected and weighed. Credit: Selina Black