Published: June 21, 2017 10:27 AM

On May 18, Tallmadge Middle School students participated in the Junior Solar Sprint and KidWind Competitions at Kent State Universitys Aeronautics and Engineering building.

Tallmadge Middle Schools Gateway to Technology eighth-grade students who participated included: Aaron Andrea, Josh Vernotzy, Jacob Becks, Tommy Naiman, Dylan Case, Hunter Eslinger, William Hudak, Ethan Hudak, Jackson Queen, Brandon Blatt, Gunther Zehner, Evan Mauck, Halle Kalaman, Emma Sandy, Emma Ryder and Mallory Cox-Shreffler.

The students enjoyed learning about alternative energies, designing, building and competing against other students with their alternative energy cars and wind turbines, said Justin Christopher, Tallmadge Middle Schools technology education teacher, robotics advisor and soapbox derby advisor. This was a great opportunity to showcase what the students have learned in their Gateway to Technology class.

The Junior Solar Sprint competition tasked students to create a lightweight car chassis to hold a solar panel that supplies the electrical energy to propel the car. Students had to use the given supplies to increase the cars torque and speed. Their design had to fit the given parameters and attach to a tethered fishing line along the 20-meter race track.

The KidWind competition tasked students to design a wind turbine that would produce the greatest amount of electrical output measured in volts. Students were required to design and construct a wind turbine that fit the parameters of the wind chamber using a specified generator.

This was a great competition for our students to experience, said Superintendent Jeff Ferguson. It provided the perfect opportunity for students to be creative and apply what theyve learned to create their own design and compete against their peers. I would like to thank Kent State University for allowing our students to be a part of this learning experience.

Students were invited to participate through Tallmadge Middle Schools Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Boards partnership with Kent State University.

Students winners received alternative energy products, including solar phone chargers, solar flashlights and other prizes.

For more information about the Tallmadge City School District, visit http://www.tallmadgeschools.org.

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TMS students join in Junior Solar Sprint, KidWind Competition - Tallmadge Express