LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seven months of intense, hands-on learning about water conservation, solar energy, engineering and teamwork culminates this weekend as nearly 1,000 high school students participate in the nation’s largest solar boating competition, Metropolitan Water District’s 13th annual Solar Cup™.
Beginning Friday (May 15), 41 teams from high schools (see accompanying list) in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties will race hand-built boats they have equipped with solar panels, batteries, electrical systems, drive trains and rudders at Metropolitan’s Lake Skinner in southwest Riverside County’s Temecula Valley. The competition also features multimedia water conservation public service messages created by the student teams.
“Solar Cup supplements textbook curriculum with hands-on experience giving these bright students an opportunity to learn about California’s natural resources, while fostering an interest in science, math, environmental and engineering careers,” said Solar Cup coordinator Julie Miller, a state-certified teacher in Metropolitan’s education programs.
“As drought conditions persist, we are confident these students will lead their generation in creating a new normal for water conservation based on insight gained from this experience,” Miller added.
About 10,000 students have participated in Solar Cup since the inaugural event launched in 2002 with just eight boats. The program is a team-based educational competition that allows students to apply their skills in math, physics, engineering and communications, while learning about Southern California’s water sources, resource management, conservation and alternative energy development.
The competition begins with teams being put through a series of qualifying events to ensure boats meet rules and are safe and seaworthy. Saturday, May 16, will feature single-seat, 16-foot boats outfitted with solar-collection panels in endurance races around a 1-kilometer course.
Sunday, May 17, is highlighted by 200-meter sprint races—in which the solar panels are removed and the boats are powered by solar energy stored in batteries. The races will be followed by an awards ceremony, with trophies awarded in veteran and rookie divisions for teams with the highest points, as well as to teams honored for “Hottest-Looking Boat,” teamwork and sportsmanship.
The races are open to the public and easily visible from the lake shoreline. The event takes place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission and parking. Lake Skinner is at 37701 Warren Road in the Temecula Valley community of Winchester in southwest Riverside County—about 10 miles northeast of the Rancho California Road exit off Interstate 15.
Since building identical hulls last November from kits supplied by Metropolitan, students have worked nights and weekends to maximize their boats’ endurance, speed and mechanical and electrical efficiencies. In advance of the three-day event, teams are now fine-tuning their hand-built boats.
In addition to 32 teams in the veterans division, Solar Cup features nine teams in a rookie division for first-time participating schools. Teams also are divided into four regions—the Foothill, Central & Bay, Inland Empire and South Counties regions.
Teams earn points in the competition, along with totals from technical inspections, completion of technical reports and creation of a public service message project. The messages focus on water conservation in the form of a 30- to 60-second, self-scripted and produced, conservation video or audiotape; a brochure; or another related project under the theme “Don’t waste another minute wasting water.”
Event videos and photos from past Solar Cup events can be found here (under Education Programs at Metropolitan’s website, mwdh2o.com).
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a cooperative of 26 cities and water agencies serving nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.
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2015 Solar Cup™ Team List |
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| Team/School Name | City | Member Agency Sponsor | Co-Sponsor Agency | ||||||
| Academia Avance | Los Angeles | Los Angeles Dept of Water and Power | |||||||
| Anaheim High School | Anaheim | Anaheim Public Utilities | |||||||
| Arcadia High School | Arcadia | Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD | |||||||
| Burbank High School* | Burbank | Burbank Water & Power | |||||||
| Calabasas High School | Calabasas | Las Virgenes MWD | |||||||
| California Academy of Math & Science | Carson | West Basin MWD | |||||||
| Chino High School | Chino | Inland Empire Utilities Agency | City of Chino | ||||||
| Chino Hills High School* | Chino Hills | Inland Empire Utilities Agency | City of Chino Hills | ||||||
| Claremont High School | Claremont | Three Valleys MWD | |||||||
| Coast High School* | Huntington Beach | Municipal Water District of Orange County | City of Huntington Beach | ||||||
| Compton High School | Compton | City of Compton | |||||||
| David Gonzales School | Calabasas | Las Virgenes MWD | |||||||
| Del Lago Academy* | Escondido | San Diego County Water Authority | |||||||
| Downey High School | Downey | Central Basin MWD | |||||||
| Elsinore HS / Lakeside HS | Wildomar | Western MWD | Elsinore Valley MWD | ||||||
| Environmental Charter HS | Lawndale | West Basin MWD | |||||||
| Franklin High School | Los Angeles | Los Angeles Department of Water and Power | |||||||
| Fremont Academy of Engineering & Design | Pomona | Three Valleys MWD | |||||||
| High Tech High North County | San Marcos | San Diego County Water Authority | |||||||
| John Glenn High School | Norwalk | Central Basin MWD | |||||||
| John Muir High School | Pasadena | Pasadena Water & Power | |||||||
| La Cañada High School | La Cañada Flintridge | Foothill MWD | La Cañada Irrigation District | ||||||
| Laguna Beach High School | Laguna Beach | Municipal Water District of Orange County | Laguna Beach County Water District | ||||||
| Lennox Academy* | Lennox | West Basin MWD | |||||||
| Long Beach Poly High School | Long Beach | Long Beach Water Department | |||||||
| Los Osos High School | Rancho Cucamonga | Inland Empire Utilities Agency | Cucamonga Valley Water District | ||||||
| McBride High School* | Long Beach | Long Beach Water Department | |||||||
| Moreno Valley USD Team | Moreno Valley | Eastern MWD | Rancho California Water District | ||||||
| Mountain View High School | El Monte | Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD | |||||||
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Murrieta Valley USD / Perris Union High SD Team |
Murrieta | Eastern MWD | Rancho California Water District | ||||||
| Norte Vista High School | Riverside | Western MWD | Riverside Public Utilities | ||||||
| Nuview Bridge Early College HS | Nuevo | Eastern MWD | Rancho California Water District | ||||||
| Oak Park High School | Oak Park | Calleguas MWD | |||||||
| Oxford Academy* | Cypress | Municipal Water District of Orange County | |||||||
| Paramount High School West | Paramount | Central Basin MWD | |||||||
| Providence High School | Burbank | Burbank Water & Power | |||||||
| Riverside Poly High School* | Riverside | Western MWD | Riverside Public Utilities | ||||||
| San Dimas High School | San Dimas | Three Valleys MWD | |||||||
| Savanna High School | Anaheim | Anaheim Public Utilities | |||||||
| West Covina High School | West Covina | Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD | |||||||
| Western High School* | Anaheim | Anaheim Public Utilities | |||||||
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* Rookie Teams |
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