Sun-Powered Boats from Nogales High School in La Puente, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills Win Solar Cup Trophies
2008-05-19 03:00:50 -
- Metropolitan Water District of Southern California Rob Hallwachs, 213-217-6450 213-324-1255 (cell) Solar-powered boats built and raced by teams of students from Nogales High School in La Puente and Palos Verdes Peninsula High School in Rolling Hills today (Sunday) won the veteran and newcomer divisions, respectively, of the sixth annual Solar Cup competition sponsored by the Metropolitan Water District of
Southern California at its Lake Skinner reservoir near Temecula.
The three-day event, in which teams qualified on Friday; attached solar-collection panels to their 16-foot hulls for 90-minute, 2-kilometer endurance races on Saturday; and used solar energy stored in batteries for today's 200-meter sprint races, is the nation's largest solar boat competition at high school or college level.
The first-place veteran and newcomer teams were awarded Solar Cups--large, traveling trophies inscribed with the names of winning teams. Each participating student was awarded a gold medal on a blue neck-ribbon by Metropolitan board Chairman Timothy F. Brick and General Manager Jeff Kightlinger.
"No matter where your team placed today, you're all winners," Brick said at the concluding awards ceremony. "When you return to your homes and communities, we ask two things: help us spread the word about the serious need to conserve water--cut outdoor watering by one day a week--and remember us when you graduate from college and begin looking for jobs. We're going to need engineers as our workforce reaches retirement age."
"This year's results were our closet ever," Kightlinger told the awards ceremony. "There were only 31 points difference between the first and third-place winners in the veterans' category, and only 13 points separated first and second places in the veterans' division."
The seven-month Solar Cup program began last November when teams from 41 high schools in five Southland counties built identical, single-seat hulls from kits of marine-grade plywood supplied by Metropolitan. Teams are sponsored by their local water agencies, cities and others with $3,500 grants for newcomer teams and $2,500 for returning teams to equip each craft with solar panels, batteries, steering and related systems.
The Nogales High School Solar Cup team was sponsored by Three Valleys Municipal Water District and by Rowland Water District. The PVPHS team was sponsored by West Basin Municipal Water District.
In the veteran division, second place went to Canyon High School, Anaheim, sponsored by Anaheim Public Utilities, and third place to Charter Oak High School, Covina, sponsored by Three Valleys Municipal Water District and Golden State Water Company.
In the newcomer division, second place went to Theodore Roosevelt High School, Los Angeles, sponsored by Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and third place to Buena High School, Ventura, sponsored by the City of Ventura.
Special trophies included the Bart Bezyack Memorial Spirit of Solar Cup Trophy, presented to student Christina Egbert of Charter Oak High School, Covina, who was described as the team's organizer, point person and top cheerleader during the three-day competition. The Warren High School Team from Downey, sponsored by Central Basin Municipal Water District, was presented the Teamwork Award.
The entry from San Dimas High School, sponsored by Three Valleys Municipal Water District and Golden State Water Company, won the Hottest-Looking Boat in the veteran division. Providence High School, Burbank, sponsored by Burbank Water and Power, won Hottest-Looking Boat in the newcomer division.
Teams competed from high schools in Anaheim, Banning, Burbank, Camarillo, Chino Hills, Claremont, Covina, Diamond Bar, Downey, Duarte, El Monte, Fullerton, Hacienda Heights, La Puente, La Verne, Lake Elsinore, Lake Forest, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Menifee, Mira Loma, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Pomona, Rancho Cucamonga, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Dimas, San Fernando, San Gabriel, San Jacinto, Temecula and Upland.
Of the 41 teams, 28 were returning veterans and 13 were newcomers.
Complete Solar Cup results will be posted at Metropolitan's Web site, mwdh2o.com, under Education Programs/Solar Cup 2008.
ΒΆ Nearly 850 Students on 41 Teams Compete in Sixth Annual
Competition, Nation's Largest
