250 students show off their wind/wave/solar energy devices at Hatfield Marine contest

By CHERYL ROMANO/YachatsNews

What does renewable energy look like? Over 250 school students showed off their best guesses in team projects Tuesday at the Oregon Coast Renewable Energy Challenge.

Staged annually for over a decade at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, the challenge drew 82 teams from grades three through 12, representing schools from all along the coast, including Waldport and Newport. Teams created their own wind, wave and solar devices and tested them in Hatfield’s facilities. Each team also presented a poster to a panel of engineering experts and shared how they developed their design.

Assisted by a crew of more than 40 volunteers, student teams tested turbines in a wind tunnel, raced solar-powered boats and measured electrical energy created by waves. Students got feedback from engineering judges with backgrounds in renewable energy, the sciences and engineering.

“This year’s event was the largest we have ever held, and it was wonderful to see so many students excited and engaged,” said Tracy Crews of Yachats, associate director of education for Oregon Sea Grant at Hatfield.

Crews said project-based events like the energy challenge “Provide students the opportunity to delve into important issues and explore STEM careers, while developing problem-solving and communication skills that are important regardless of what career pathway they choose.”

The event was overseen by Oregon Sea Grant and coordinated by the Oregon Coast STEM Hub, under sponsorship by the Oregon Department of Energy. Oregon Sea Grant addresses marine and coastal issues through research and education. The STEM Hub serves teachers and students in 20 coastal school districts.

First and second place results of the energy challenge in each division, along with team names, are:

Wave Energy, Elementary School

1. East Team, Crestview Heights, Waldport.
2. Sea Sluggs, Crestview Heights, Waldport.

Wave Energy, Middle School

1. Tyler the Creator, Newport Middle School, Newport.
2. The Wave Baddies, Newport Middle School, Newport.

Solar Energy, Elementary School

1. Bippity Boppity Boop, Crestview Heights, Waldport.
2. Wolves, Crestview Heights, Waldport.

Solar Energy, Middle School

1. Shallow Minded, Pacific High School, Port Orford.
2. Heat Hooligans, Warrenton Middle School, Warrenton.

Wind Energy, Elementary School

1. Kinetic Energy, Sam Case Elementary School, Newport.
2. Wind Energy, Sam Case Elementary School, Newport.

Wind Energy, Middle School

1. Brooke & Eva, Pacific High School, Port Orford.
2. Twisty Turbines, Warrenton Middle School, Warrenton.