TOPEKA – In May, three Kansas student teams won national honors at the 2022 National KidWind Challenge held in San Antonio, Texas.
On Wednesday, they are traveling to the Kansas State Capitol to celebrate their success. The teams will meet with Lieutenant Governor David Toland for photos at 10 a.m., take a guided tour of the Capitol, and then enjoy lunch.
The teams being recognized are:
- Elementary Division National Champions – Hutch STEM Blue from Hutchinson STEM Magnet School at Allen Elementary
- Winner of the Innovator Award – Wind Chill from Dighton Middle School
- Winner of the Judges Award – Gerald La Turbina from Beloit Jr/Sr High School
To participate in the KidWind Challenge, student teams work together to design, build and test a wind turbine using the materials of their choice. Each team’s turbine is put to the test in a wind tunnel. Scoring is based on turbine performance, a knowledge quiz, a presentation to judges where the team explains its design process, and an instant challenge.
The students have worked hard and learned a lot, but they have also had a lot of fun along the way. See the video highlights from the State Finals here. (Note – all three national winners appear in the video)