Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010
THE JACKSON HERALD
PAGE 5B
STUDENT HELPING OUT
A student from East Jackson Middle School lifts a piece of paper blocking her team’s
solar-powered model car for the start of a race during Friday’s Junior Solar Sprint.
Photo by Kerri Testement
LOHMEIER JUDGES CARS
Don Lohmeier of the Electric Vehicle Program judges the solar-powered model cars
before racing begins on Friday for the Junior Solar Sprint.
Photo by Kerri Testement
Students race solar-powered model cars
BY KERRI TESTEMENT
THE USUAL phrase
— “Start your engines”
— just doesn't apply for this
special race at Lanier National
Speedway, Braselton.
For the 80-90 area middle
school students watching the
competition, the start of each
sprint begins with “Start your
solar panels.”
It's a race not between
cars with gasoline-powered
engines, but small, model
vehicles fueled by solar energy
— all designed and assembled
by middle school students.
The Junior Solar Sprint
teaches students the principles
of energy and science with a
fun day of racing at Lanier
National Speedway.
Each team is required to
build a small model car that is
powered by sunlight and can’t
use batteries. Students had to
use a motor and identical solar
panels given to each team for
the competition.
“Everything else is up to
creativity,” said Kay Parks,
a community relations repre
sentative for Jackson EMC, a
sponsor of the event.
Besides racing the vehi
cles down a wooden track,
the solar-powered model
cars were also judged for the
construction of their chassis,
transmission and solar array.
The vehicles’ appearance,
craftsmanship and innovation
were also evaluated by the
judges.
Twelve middle schools
from Jackson, Barrow, Banks,
Madison, Hall and Gwinnett
counties participated in the
event on Friday, at Lanier
National Speedway. A mock
event for the Junior Solar
Sprint was held in the fall.
“I want to grow them in the
schools and the number of
schools,” Parks said.
Banks County Middle
School's solar sprinter,
Leopard Pride, took home
gold winning first place in
speed/performance. In the
same category, Chestatee
Middle School won second
place and West Hall Middle
won third place.
Judges awarded first place
for Best in Design to North
Hall Middle School's Trojan
Trolley, followed by Kings
Bridge Middle School tak
ing second place and Banks
County with third place.
Those schools that par
ticipated in the Junior Solar
Sprint were: Banks County
Middle School, Chestatee
Middle School, Creekland
Middle School, Dacula Middle
School, East Jackson Middle
School, Kings Bridge Middle
School, Madison County
Middle School, North Hall
Middle School, Richard Hull
Middle School, Sweetwater
Middle School, West Hall
Middle School and Winder-
Barrow Middle School.
The Junior Solar Sprint pro
gram was developed by Green
Power EMC and is supported
by the U.S. Department of
Energy (DOE) and Midwest
Research Institute (MRI),
Battelle and Bechtel and
managed by the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory
(NREL).
Jackson EMC, Right
Choice, Hannah Solar, Green
Power EMC, Southern View
Energy and Lanier National
Speedway sponsored the
event.
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MCGINNIS HELPS STUDENTS WITH CARS
Nelson McGinnis of Jackson EMC helps students from Winder-Barrow Middle
School prepare their solar-powered model car for racing at Friday’s Junior Solar
Sprint.
Photo by Kerri Testement
CALLING OUT TEAMS
Kay Parks, a community
relations representative
for Jackson EMC, calls out
the teams that will com
pete in the next round of
competition for the Junior
Solar Sprint.
Photo by Kerri Testement
PREPARING TO RACE
Joey Turner and Hayleigh Smith of Kings Bridge Middle
School prepare to race their solar-powered vehicle for
Friday’s Junior Solar Sprint, held at Lanier National
Speedway, Braselton. Team member Caleb Hill isn’t
shown.
Photo by Kerri Testement
RACING DOWN THE TRACK
Two solar-powered vehicles race down a wooden track for Friday’s Junior Solar
Sprint, held at Lanier National Speedway, Braselton. Photo by Kerri Testement
JHS fundraiser dimer to be held May 11
A SPAGHETTI dinner and bake sale will
be held to on May 11 at 7:30 p.m. at the JHS
cafeteria to help raise funds to improve the
Jefferson High School baseball facilities. The
cost will be $7 per plate, with dine in or take
out. Dinner includes spaghetti, salad, bread
and beverage. All baked goods available will
be homemade.
Spring Flowers
• Perennials • Hanging Baskets • Knockout Roses
Hybrid Tea • Climbing Roses • Bedding Plants • Tropicals
Hand Tools
• Rakes & Shovels • Garden Gloves • Pruning Shears
Decoration
• Wind Chimes • Many Gift Items
SHIRLEY
FEED & SEED
North Elm St./Maysville Rd.
Commerce, GA
706-335-2162
Veaetable Plants
& Seeds
Tomato Plants,
Cucumber, Squash,
Peppers, Etc.
Miracle-Gro
Potting Soil
& Plant Food.
Round-Up
& Hi-Yield
Herbicides
Selling A Variety Of
Purina & Godfrey’s
Livestock & Pet
Food.
Frontline &
Advantage
Flea & Tick Treatment.
(Dog & Cat Vaccines)
Prepare for the
oncoming fire ants
with Over’n Out
Fire Ant Treatment