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

1^st Place – Ocean Breeze Elementary, Indian Harbour Beach

2^nd Place – Lewis Carroll Elementary, Merritt Island

3^rd Place – Martinez Middle, Lutz

Best Design – Middle School Division

1^st Place – Lake Nona Middle, Orlando

2^nd Place – Girl Scout Troop 30027, Stuart

3^rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island

Best Design – High School Division

1^st Place – Pine Ridge High, Deltona

2^nd 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

1^st Place – Lake Nona Middle, Orlando

2^nd Place – Milwee Middle, Longwood

3^rd 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

1^st Place – Gulf Coast Academy, Palm City

2^nd Place – Global Prospective, West Palm Beach

3^rd Place – Milwee Middle, Longwood

High School Division

1^st Place – Key West High, Key West

2^nd Place – Island Coast High, Cape Coral

3^rd 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

1^st Place – Hidden Oaks Middle, Palm City

2^nd Place – Hidden Oaks Middle, Palm City

3^rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High

High School Division

1^st Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island

2^nd Place – Key West High, Key West

3^rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island

WOW! Award – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island

Junior Solar Sprint

Best Design – Elementary Division

1^st Place – Gulf Coast Middle, Spring Hill

2^nd Place – Martinez Middle, Lutz

3^rd Place – Imagine Charter of North Lauderdale, North Lauderdale

Best Design – Middle School Division

1^st Place – Brandon Robotics Engineering Academy, Brandon

2^nd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island

3^rd Place – Edgewood Jr/Sr High, Merritt Island

Most Innovative – Elementary Division

1^st Place – Gulf Coast Middle, Spring Hill

2^nd Place – Gulf Coast Middle, Spring Hill

3^rd Place – Pine View School, Osprey

Most Innovative – Middle School Division

1^st Place – Conway Middle, Orlando

2^nd Place – Brandon Robotics Engineering Academy, Brandon

3^rd 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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