Let the Competition Begin: 18th Annual Solar Cup™ Launches

Southland high schoolers converge for boat-building workshop this Saturday (Nov. 2)

--()--The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

WHAT:

Students will break out the power tools and kick off the 18th annual Solar Cup™ season at this Saturday’s boat-building workshop. More than 700 students from 36 Southern California-area high school teams will begin building 16-foot canoe-like boats that they will race in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s solar-powered boat competition, held May 15-17 at Lake Skinner in southeast Riverside County.

 

 

 

The boat-building workshop is the first in a series of Solar Cup activities held over the next seven months, when students will gain hands-on experience in math, electrical and mechanical engineering, and problem-solving, while learning about the importance of the conservation of natural resources.

 

 

WHEN:

Saturday, Nov. 2, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

 

WHERE:

Three Valleys Municipal Water District, 1021 E. Miramar Ave., Claremont

 

VISUALS:

Students, some handling tools for the first time, will use boat hull kits, saws, drills and other tools to build their hulls, with the help of their teachers and Metropolitan’s education program leaders.

 

 

BACKGROUND:

 

Solar Cup began in 2002 with eight schools and 100 students. It has grown to one of the largest solar-powered boating competitions in the country. This year, about 720 students from 36 schools in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties are participating (list of schools attached).

 

 

In the months ahead, teams will work together to equip the boats with steering, solar panels, batteries and sun-driven motors producing up to 320 watts. Students will also accumulate points through the submission of two technical reports and a water conservation public service announcement.

 

 

While Metropolitan provides the boat kits and tools, Metropolitan’s member agencies and their water retailers financially sponsor the teams, providing $4,000 to new teams and $2,500 to returning teams to fully build and equip their boats.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, serves 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.

 

2020 Solar Cup Teams

 

Member Agency Sponsor

Team/School Name

City

Status

Anaheim Public Utilities

Anaheim High School

Anaheim

Veteran

Burbank Water & Power

Burbank High School

Burbank

Veteran

Long Beach Water Department

Cabrillo High School

Long Beach

Veteran

Las Virgenes MWD

Calabasas High School

Calabasas

Veteran

Western MWD*

Centennial High School

Corona

Veteran

Inland Empire Utilities Agency*

Chino High School

Chino

Veteran

Inland Empire Utilities Agency*

Chino Hills High School

Chino Hills

Veteran

City of Compton

Compton High School

Compton

Veteran

Municipal Water District of Orange County

Costa Mesa High School

Costa Mesa

Veteran

San Diego County Water Authority

Del Lago Academy

Escondido

Veteran

Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD

Don Bosco Technical Institute

Rosemead

Veteran

Central Basin MWD

Downey High School

Downey

Veteran

Western MWD*

Eastvale STEM Academy @ Roosevelt HS

Eastvale

Veteran

Western MWD*

Elsinore HS / Lakeside HS / Temescal Canyon HS

Wildomar

Veteran

Eastern MWD*

Hemet USD Team

Hemet

Veteran

San Diego County Water Authority

High Tech High North County

San Marcos

Veteran

Pasadena Water & Power

John Muir High School

Pasadena

Veteran

Central Basin MWD

La Mirada HS

La Mirada

Rookie

West Basin MWD

Lawndale High School

Lawndale

Veteran

West Basin MWD

Lennox Math, Science & Technology Academy

Lennox

Veteran

Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD

Los Altos High School

Hacienda Heights

Veteran

Inland Empire Utilities Agency*

Los Osos High School

Rancho Cucamonga

Veteran

Long Beach Water Department

McBride High School

Long Beach

Veteran

West Basin MWD

Mira Costa High School

Manhattan Beach

Veteran

Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD

Mountain View High School

El Monte

Veteran

Three Valleys MWD*

Nogales High School

La Puente

Veteran

Las Virgenes MWD

Oaks Christian School

Westlake Village

Veteran

Municipal Water District of Orange County*

Oxford Academy

Cypress

Veteran

West Basin MWD

Palos Verdes Peninsula High School

Rolling Hills Estates

Veteran

Eastern MWD*

Perris Union High SD Team

Perris

Veteran

Three Valleys MWD*

Pomona High School

Pomona

Veteran

Three Valleys MWD*

San Dimas High School

San Dimas

Veteran

Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD

Sierra Vista High School

Baldwin Park

Veteran

Inland Empire Utilities Agency*

Upland High School

Upland

Veteran

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power

Venice HS STEMM Magnet

Los Angeles

Veteran

Three Valleys MWD

Village Academy High School

Pomona

Rookie

 

* = has co-sponsor(s)
Bold = rookie

 

Contacts

Maritza Fairfield, (213) 217-6853; (909) 816-7722, cell; mfairfield@mwdh2o.com
Rebecca Kimitch, (213) 217-6450; (202) 821-5253, cell; rkimitch@mwdh2o.com

Contacts

Maritza Fairfield, (213) 217-6853; (909) 816-7722, cell; mfairfield@mwdh2o.com
Rebecca Kimitch, (213) 217-6450; (202) 821-5253, cell; rkimitch@mwdh2o.com