Students to Race Solar-Powered Model Cars

Golden, Colo., May 11, 2000 - Forty-one teams of middle school students from across Colorado on Saturday will race model solar cars designed to tap into energy from the sun.

Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and Kaiser-Hill, the Junior Solar Sprint will give students the opportunity to show off their engineering and design skills by building and racing model solar-powered vehicles.

Each team starts with a motor and a silicon solar cell, which converts light into electricity. Using any other materials, competitors design and build vehicles no larger than 12 inches wide, 24 inches long and 12 inches high.

The 20-meter race is a double elimination competition with awards going to the five fastest cars. Five design awards also will be given based on technology, craftsmanship and innovation. The Energy Department began the Junior Solar Sprint 10 years ago to help educate young people about renewable energy and the environment.

The students will compete from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., May 13 at NREL's Solar Energy Research Facility (SERF). The event is open to the public. To reach the SERF, take Interstate 70 to exit 263 (Denver West Boulevard). Turn north toward the Denver West Marriott Hotel. At the stop sign, turn left at Denver West Parkway and continue past the hotel and the NREL Visitors Center. The SERF is the silver-colored building one-eighth mile past the Visitors Center.

EDITORS NOTE: A list of participating schools follows.

PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS

Below are the school names and the team members of the competing schools:

Arvada Middle School - Arvada, CO
Coach:  Claudia VanWie
Car # and name:  37
Team members: Joey O'Hayre, Steve Baughman, Jerry Casper, Manual Mossman

Beacon Country Day School - Englewood, CO
Coach:  Steve Davenport
Car # and name:  1  Zoomin
Team members:  Brian Davenport, Kevin Cahn, Shawnette McChesney, Amber Smith Roberts

Car # and name:  2  Royal Fury
Coach:  W.T. Loner
Team members: Steven Addison, Adam Loner

Bell Middle School - Golden, CO
Coach:  Elaine Connolly
Car # and name:  40
Team members:

Car # and name:  41
Team members:

Eagle Valley Middle School - Eagle, CO
Coach:  Kim Whelan
Car # and name:  3
Team members: Louis Romersheuser

Car # and name:  4   Stud-Meister
Team members: Jacob Rivera, Zach Henry

Fountain Middle School - Fountain, CO
Coach:  Jill Brickner
Car # and name:  5  GAS (Greg And Sean)
Team members:  Greg Rhinehart, Sean Behan

Car # and name:  6   Speed Racer
Team members: Lee Stover, Dustin Jones

Hayden Middle School - Hayden, CO
Coach:  Greg Richards
Car # and name:  7  Devil's Ride
Team members:  Jason Rolando, Lucas McElroy, Shai Engle

Car # and name:  8  CUBYBY
Team members: Jordan Rolando, Jeremy May, Joey Vreeman

Highland Middle School - Ault, CO
Coach:  Chalee Stofflet
Car # and name:  9  Husky Roadster II
Team members: Ray Gonzales, Justin Davis, Tony Martinez, Michael Guerrero

Car # and name:   10  Husky Roadster
Team members:  Holly Shipps, Caylee Rush, Janette DeHoyas, Kelly Fletcher

Huron Middle School - Northglenn, CO
Coach:  Lisa Joss
Car # and name:  35  The Car
Team members:  Harry Jones, Alex Macalik, Chris Mejia

Car # and name :  36  White Torpedo
Team members:  Mikey Gladbury, Shane Springer

Little Elementary - Arvada, CO
Coach:  Eddie Ellington
Car # and name:  27  Snake Eye 416
Team members:  Anthony Bendever, Anthony Warren

Car # and name:  28  Turbo Ram
Team members: Brian Markle

Maplewood Middle School - Greeley, CO
Coach:  John Osowski
Car # and name:  33  The Webster
Team members:  Robert Jaccaud, John Hagihara, Jeff Mullen, Christopher Dennis

Car # and name:  34  Sirbreakalot
Team members:  Kristopher Lanz, Nathan Fetig, Andy Oligmueller

McClave Elementary School: McClave, CO
Coach:  Pam Frey
Car # and name:  11
Team members:  Chad Heckman, Josie Mallard, Hayden Anderson, Kim Brown

Car # and name:  12
Team members:  Doug Sykes, Kent Sanchez, Monica Zamora, Anne Trowbridge

Monarch K-8 School - Louisville, CO
Coach:  William Richard
Car # and name:  13  Cr¸me de la Creme
Team members:  Megan Richard, Leah Labovitz, Eddie Labovitz, Kristen Richard

Coach:  Norman Kron Jr.
Car # and name:  14  Sunchip Enterprize
Team members:  Kay Kron, Tai Cash, Ariel Cash, Christy Westhoff

Moore Middle School - Arvada, CO
Coach:  Scott Roth
Car # and name:  15  Bolt III
Team members:  Chris Roth, Mark Middlestadt

Nevin Platt Middle School - Boulder, CO
Coach:  Ellen DeBacker
Car # and name:  29
Team members:  Nick Schottler, John Lambert, Camille Harris, Sadie Rebstock

Car # and name:  30
Team members:  Paula Creevy, Jeff Leeser, Johnny Burke, Ted Metzroth

Orchard Mesa Middle School - Grand Junction, CO
Coach:  Liz Chase
Car # and name:  16  Get Real
Team members:  Amy Johnson, Jennifer DuCray, Holly Schroeder

Car # and name:  17  1937 Firebird
Team members:  Karen Johnson, Megan Reinertsen, Katie Gosselin, Rachael Jensen

Car # and name:  18  Sun Streak
Team members:  Kristy Robles, Stephanie Benson, Viridiana Reyes

Car # and name:  19  Sky-Rae
Team members:  Skylar Cattoor, Raelynn Gallegos

Car # and name:  20  Silver Knight
Coach:  Dan Murray
Team members:  Joe Murray, Vancil Vigil

St. Mary's Littleton - Littleton, CO
Coach:  Amy Brady
Car # and name:  21  You Go Grill
Team members:  Molly Costigan, Shanna Wankum, Evan Fraser, Kyle Lung

Car # and name:  22  Arch Angel
Team members: Luke Shimoda, Joe Bernatchez

Scott Carpenter Middle School - Denver, CO
Coach:  John Sepich
Car # and name:  38  Strawbale
Team members:  Bernadette Goodson, Michelle Aranda

Sinclair Middle School - Englewood, CO
Coach:  Carolyn Rudy
Car # and name:  39  It Goes
Team members:  Martha Stoddard, Casey Videtto, Chris Grove

South Valley Middle School - Platteville, CO
Coach:  Jon Billheimer
Car # and name:  23  Pride of South Valley #1
Team members:  Jordan Deroo, Brian Torres, Chad Baudendistel, Jacob Kern

Car # and name:  24  Pride of South Valley #2
Team members:  Pedro Mendez, Carolanne LaBar, Cinnamon Heim, Scott Vogl

West Grand Middle School - Kremling, CO
Coach:  Barbara Barnes
Car # and name:  25  Galileo's Goat
Team members:  Kerina Cotter, Caitlyn Taussig, Haley Crosby, Brittany Boydstun

Car # and name:  26  TW Eagle
Team members:  Susan Lewis, Reyna Martinez, Chris Kuhn, Merritt Hooks

Witt Elementary - Westminster, CO
Coach:  Leon Vasquez
Car # and name:  31  ZAMM
Team members:  Andy Simonsen, Zach Leonard, Matt Nordman, Marshall Reynolds

Car # and name:  32  Little Red Riding Dude
Team members:  Ryan Smrekar, LT Longenbohn, Dario Sanchez-Rubalcava, Ryan Long

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