TCPS Takes 2nd Place at the Junior Solar Sprint Competition

TCPS uses the power of learning to harness the power of the sun!

Last weekend, TCPS entered 5 middle school teams in the Junior Solar Sprint car race, at Flora Vista Elementary School. Prior to the race, students built their cars, tested them, discovered problems, made adjustments, re-tested, and then finalized their designs. This continued on race day as students had to make several adjustments to their cars very quickly, in between races to try and produce faster results.

The Junior Solar Sprint is a national educational program that asks fifth- through eighth-grade students to work in teams to build and compete model solar-powered cars. It offers a way for kids to use hands-on skills to build something from their imaginations while combining science, technology, engineering and renewable energy.

Cars are judged by an outside panel on design, originality, construction and fastest time in local contests around the country.

All five of our teams performed extremely well, each with race times much faster than the average. At the conclusion of the first round, one team finished in the top 24, another in the top 12, and another in the top 6. One team was able to advance through the quarterfinals and semifinals to make it to the final championship race. Our very own “Team Chevy” won 2nd place overall and was only 0.4 seconds behind the 1st place winner! We are so proud of them!

We’d like to give a big thank you to Sullivan Solar Power, a San Diego-based solar energy company, for sponsoring the event and providing our students with their solar car kits, to build and enter into the competition!