"Where are tomorrow's inventors, tomorrow's engineers? Where are tomorrow's technological trouble-shooters and scientists? Where are tomorrow's out of the box thinkers? I say they are RIGHT HERE TODAY!", states an exuberant Arianna Alexsandra Collins, Education Director of the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association, "Remember you are already winners! Be proud of yourselves!" And they were.
Nessacus Regional Middle School students Nathan Sears, Christian Pickwell, Ryan Parker and Kyle Miller, of Dalton, MA, won first place in Speed in their regional race earning them an invitation to attend the regional championship. They competed with their model car at the Northeast Regional Junior Solar Sprint Championship, Sunday, June 8 in Springfield, MA.
109 top-performing middle school student teams from across the Northeast, over 275 students, entered this year's Junior Solar Sprint Championship, run by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA). This year, students and race officials alike braved near 100 degrees temperatures to participate in this "cool" event or "hot" event as the case may be. Water and dual fan-spray bottles were on hand to cool off the guests.
Student teams competed for Speed and three design awards-Craftsmanship, Innovation, and Technical Merit. Additionally, awards were also given to Best Re-Use of Materials, for best re-use of recycled and recyclable materials in car construction, Kid's Choice, for most impressive car among competing students, and new this year is the Artistic Merit Award, for the most clever and visually appealing solar car. Throughout the day, students and parents alike investigated renewable energy exhibits including perennial favorites, a well-stocked solar-powered ice cream cooler and a sampling of solar ovens and other solar gadgetry. New this year was a peddle-powered grain grinder which was popular to try out despite the heat. And bless them for coming out in full formal uniform, the ROTC Color Guard from Commerce High School of Springfield, MA with Cadet Captain Christopher Rios singing the National Anthem.
"The Junior Solar Sprint program allows students to explore scientific concepts and technologies that can help our country address issues of global climate change, reduce air and water pollution, and reduce our dependence on foreign sources of fuel," notes Arianna Alexsandra Collins, NESEA's Education Director.  "It our sincerest hope that programs such as JSS provides opportunities for these students to become informed and pro-active citizens, infused with a team-spirit approach to face the challenges that lie ahead with dignity and resourcefulness."
Susan Reyes, Science Educator and Junior Solar Sprint Coordinator notes, "This is a teacher's dream!  Having students design and build a model solar car for competition is highly engaging and challenges kids to put their learning to practical use."
"Kids develop teamwork and problem solving abilities, investigate environmental issues, gain hands-on engineering skills, and use principals of science and math to get the fastest, most interesting, and best crafted vehicle possible," Reyes said.
The Northeast Junior Solar Sprint program is sponsored by the U.S. Army and is run by the Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA).  NESEA provides workshops for educators, subsidies for area events, and runs the Northeast Championship.  (See www.nesea.org/education/jss.)
NESEA is the nation's leading regional association involved in promoting awareness, understanding, and development of non-polluting, renewable energy technologies.  Its educational programs support innovative activities that involve K through 12th grade students and school systems in experiential learning about sustainable energy.}
Headquartered in Greenfield, MA, NESEA works in the fields of transportation, building construction and renewable energy.