Jr Hi/Middle School Students Build and Race Solar Powered Cars at Germantown Sun Fair

Saturday June 5, 1999, solar powered race cars no bigger than a shoe box built by local middle school students will compete at the Germantown, MD campus of Montgomery College. Join us and watch those midgets ZING! Trophies and other awards will be presented to the top speed and design winners. Time: high noon. Rain date, to be determined.

Joe Teach, a science teacher and athletic coach at Jefferson Jr High in Southwest Washington, D.C., has led several Jefferson teams to victory in previous years. "This teaching module is inter-disciplinary, exposing my scholars to zero-pollution electric motors, solar electricity, gear ratios, bearing and axle design, aerodynamic streamlining, and, of course, TEAM SPIRIT".

Toni Evans, a science teacher from Sandy Springs, MD Friends school, said, "I keep coming back to JSS because it rewards my students for marvel over muscle, for brains over brawn."

The Junior Solar Sprint races are nationally sponsored by the US DOE National Renewable Energy Lab in Golden, CO and the National Science Teachers Association. Locally, the races are sponsored by the Potomac Regional Solar Energy Association, sponsors of the SUN Energy Fair being held all day long at the Germantown campus, and the Electric Vehicle Association of Greater Washington, D.C.

These races immediately precede by one week the Northeast Regional Junior Solar Sprint Championship races to be held in Portland, Maine on June 12, in conjunction with the national conference of the American Solar Energy Society and the Maine Solar BLAST. Top racers from Washington will represent our area in the Portland, Maine championships. Full size solar and electric cars will be on display in Germantown and in Maine.

Directions to Junior Solar Sprint Races: I-270 to Exit 15a. Go East. Follow Campus signs.

Charlie Garlow, 202-564-1088.
[email protected]