TEMECULA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Long Beach’s McBride High School has taken an early lead in Metropolitan Water District’s 15th annual Solar Cup™, which launches today at Lake Skinner in southwest Riverside County.
Heading into racing competition, McBride has the top preliminary score among the 43 teams from across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and San Diego counties that are competing in the three-day solar-powered boat competition. Teams will qualify on the water today before racing competition begins Saturday (May 20) and culminates Sunday (May 21).
McBride’s early lead is based on preliminary scores earned in the months leading up to this weekend, with the team notching a perfect 360 points out of 360. Many of those points came from McBride’s public service message, which encouraged lifelong water conservation in Long Beach.
Under Solar Cup’s public service message component, teams produce a short video or social media campaign encouraging people to conserve water, based on this year’s theme “Changing Climate, Lifelong Conservation.” In addition to the 250 points earned for its PSA, McBride earned perfect scores for two technical progress reports and meeting various deadlines.
Closely trailing McBride is Cypress’s Oxford Academy in second place, with 353 points. Downey High School and last year’s Solar Cup winner, Riverside Poly High School, are tied for third place, each with 345 points.
“These teams have been working hard afternoons, nights and weekends to make their boats as fast and reliable as possible, putting to use what they’ve learned in their math and science classes and in Metropolitan engineering and boat-building workshops,” said Solar Cup coordinator Julie Kalbacher, a state-certified teacher with Metropolitan’s education programs. “Now all of that hard work will be put to the test over the next few days.”
“While it does get competitive, the best part is, everyone has a great time. The spirit of teamwork really carries the day, even between teams, especially when they are forced to troubleshoot unexpected problems that come up. And all of these kids walk away with a greater understanding of alternative energy development and the value of our water resources,” Kalbacher continued.
More than 700 participating students will first be put through a series of qualifying events today to ensure their boats meet rules and are safe and seaworthy. The competition heats up Saturday when the single-seat, 16-foot boats outfitted with solar-collection panels compete in endurance races around a 1.6-kilometer course in the morning and afternoon.
Sunday the boats’ solar panels are removed and their energy-storing capabilities are put to the test as they compete in 200-meter sprint races 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 easily visible from the shore, and the event is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with free admission and parking. Lake Skinner is at 37701 Warren Road, Winchester, in the Temecula Valley of southwest Riverside County—about 10 miles northeast of the Rancho California Road exit off Interstate 15.
Over the past 15 years, more than 10,000 students have participated in Solar Cup. The program began in 2002 with eight teams and about 80 students. In the years since, it has grown into the nation’s largest solar-powered boat competition.
The educational competition allows students to apply their skills in math, physics, engineering and communications and learn more about Southern California’s water sources, conservation and alternative energy development. It has inspired future engineers, water resource managers and conservationists, and helped the region build the workforce needed to produce smart solutions to its environmental and water supply problems.
Teams are divided into four regions—the Foothill, Central & Bay, Inland Empire and South Counties regions. Solar Cup also includes a rookie division for first-time teams.
Learn more about Solar Cup at mwdh2o.com and here. Longer videos are also available for use here. Photos and video of this year’s event will be available upon request.
The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established 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.
2017 Solar Cup School List | ||||||
City |
School Name | Member Agency Sponsor | Co-Sponsor Agencies | |||
Los Angeles | Academia Avance | Los Angeles DWP | ||||
Huntington Park | Alliance Collins Family College Ready High School | Central Basin MWD | ||||
Anaheim | Anaheim High School | Anaheim Public Utilities | ||||
Arcadia | Arcadia High School | Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD | ||||
Los Angeles | Banning Academies of Creative And Innovative Sciences (BACIS) | Los Angeles DWP | ||||
Burbank | Burbank High School | Burbank Water & Power | ||||
Calabasas | Calabasas High School | Las Virgenes MWD | ||||
Chino | Chino High School | Inland Empire Utilities Agency | City of Chino | |||
Chino Hills | Chino Hills High School | Inland Empire Utilities Agency | City of Chino Hills | |||
Huntington Beach | Coast High School | Municipal Water District of OC | City of Huntington Beach | |||
Compton | Compton High School | City of Compton | ||||
Escondido | Del Lago Academy | San Diego County Water Authority | ||||
Pomona | Diamond Ranch High School | Three Valleys MWD | Walnut Valley Water District, City of Pomona | |||
Downey | Downey High School | Central Basin MWD | ||||
Wildomar | Elsinore HS / Lakeside HS | Western MWD | Elsinore Valley MWD | |||
Lawndale | Environmental Charter High School | West Basin MWD | ||||
Los Angeles | Franklin High School | Los Angeles DWP | ||||
Pomona | Fremont Academy of Engineering & Design | Three Valleys MWD | City of Pomona | |||
San Marcos | High Tech High North County | San Diego County Water Authority | ||||
Norwalk | John Glenn High School | Central Basin MWD | ||||
Pasadena | John Muir High School | Pasadena Water & Power | ||||
Fontana | Kaiser High School | Inland Empire Utilities Agency | Fontana Water Company | |||
La Cañada Flintridge | La Cañada High School | Foothill MWD | La Cañada Irrigation District, Valley Water Co. | |||
La Puente | La Puente High School | Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD | ||||
Lennox | Lennox Academy | West Basin MWD | ||||
Rancho Cucamonga | Los Osos High School | Inland Empire Utilities Agency | Cucamonga Valley Water | |||
Long Beach | McBride High School | Long Beach Water Department | ||||
Manhattan Beach | Mira Costa High School | West Basin MWD | ||||
El Monte | Mountain View High School | Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD | ||||
Murrieta | Murrieta Mesa High School | Eastern MWD | Rancho California Water District | |||
Riverside | Norte Vista High School | Western MWD | Riverside Public Utilities | |||
Nuevo | Nuview Bridge Early College HS | Eastern MWD | Rancho California Water District | |||
Cypress | Oxford Academy | Municipal Water District of OC | Golden State Water | |||
Palos Verdes Estates | Palos Verdes High School | West Basin MWD | ||||
Paramount | Paramount High School West | Central Basin MWD | ||||
Romoland | Perris Union High SD Team (Heritage HS; Paloma Valley HS; Perris HS) | Eastern MWD | Rancho California Water District | |||
Burbank | Providence High School | Burbank Water & Power | ||||
Riverside | Riverside Poly High School | Western MWD | Riverside Public Utilities | |||
San Dimas | San Dimas High School | Three Valleys MWD | Golden State Water | |||
La Puente | Santana High School | Three Valleys MWD | Rowland Water District | |||
Temecula | Temecula Valley Team (Chaparral HS/ Great Oak HS /Temecula Valley HS) | Eastern MWD | Rancho California Water District | |||
Los Angeles | Venice HS STEMM Magnet | Los Angeles DWP | ||||
West Covina | West Covina High School | Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD |