Three teams from Martinsville City Public Schools earned recognition at the regional KidWind Challenge, held March 30 at Randolph College in Lynchburg.
All three teams-- the Taco Turbines and Rainbow Turbines from Patrick Henry Elementary School, and the Turbine Turtles from Albert Harris Elementary School-- walked away with awards in the competition, which challenges students to design and build small-scale wind turbines and solar structures as part of a fun, STEM-focused approach to learning about clean, renewable energy.
The Taco Turbines, coached by Liz Lynch and Lizzy Fulcher, earned first place and will advance to the state competition at James Madison University.
The Turbine Turtles, a first-year team coached by Cyndi Jones, placed third.
The Rainbow Turbines received the Judges Award. In recommending the team for the honor, one judge wrote: "The Rainbow Turbines were one of the most persistent groups here today. They tested their blades an astonishing 11 times and each time tweaked a component to see the impact ... Keep up the good work and never stop trying!"
"KidWind helps students to see science in action," Lynch said. "They're able to change things in real time and get data which can help them make decisions. It gives them an opportunity to learn more about renewable resources and how we can harness them to produce energy."
"I like designing the [turbine] blades and the feeling of triumph when you get it right," said Margot Sharp of the Taco Turbines. She said that participating in KidWind was good for students like her because she gets to learn about clean and renewable energy at a young age.
Naryah Williams, also of the Taco Turbines, recalled the team's excitement when they learned they won first place: "It felt amazing," she said. "I was so happy. We ran up to the front" to collect their award.
KidWind is a national program that introduces students to renewable energy concepts through hands-on challenges, encouraging innovation, collaboration, and critical thinking.
"Our students continue to make great connections between math, science, and real-world applications," enthused Superintendent Dr. Zeb Talley. "Teachers are developing outstanding future engineers!"
Lynch said she was proud of not only her team, but all the MCPS teams that competed.
"Competitions like this encourage our students to grow and learn, and it's always so exciting to see them take on new challenges and succeed," she said. "We as teachers already know they're capable of anything they put their minds to, but it's always awesome to see them learn that for themselves."
Members of the MCPS KidWind teams are:
Taco Turbines: Margot Sharp, Amreen Nurula, Wesley Walker, Kavany Flores, Naryah Williams, Kenyon Jones, Jacob Ratliff, Mason Rea, Mercy Moore, Elena Alverez
Rainbow Turbines: Aiden Boaz, Allan Meyers, Bailey Clarke, Christian Smith, Emmie Stewart, Lanay Pruitt, O'Derion Deshazo, Sebastian LaPrade, Souliona Walker
Turbine Turtles: Vincent Andrieux, Micah Barton, Kyleigh Flood, Conner Brecht, Ana Romero Rameriz, Kaidance Williamson
