Read and explore the stories below that recap the previous KidWind Challenge competitions hosted by the Wisconsin Energy Institute on the University of Wisconsin–Madison campus.
2024 Wisconsin KidWind Challenge
On the first Saturday in March, budding engineers designed and built model wind turbines and put them to the test in wind tunnels, where sensors measured the energy produced. Other teams built solar-powered devices in the new solar challenge. Teams also faced instant challenges, like having to figure out the best way to lay out a wind farm or balancing supply and demand in the electrical grid, and gave presentations to a panel of judges. Five teams qualified to attend the KidWind Worlds in Minneapolis, MN.
2023 Wisconsin KidWind Challenge
Armed with a passion for the environment and dreams of revolutionizing electricity generation, students from Wisconsin and northern Illinois journeyed to the University of Wisconsin–Madison on March 4th, to test their engineering skills in the 2023 KidWind Challenge. Teams of elementary, middle, and high school students tested model wind turbines they designed and built from scratch and demonstrated their knowledge to a panel of judges among other activities. A hands-on Science Exploration Expo was held in conjunction with the Challenge.
2022 Wisconsin KidWind Challenge
On Saturday, February 26, middle and high school students from across Wisconsin and northern Illinois gathered at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Discovery Building for the 2022 KidWind Challenge. Hosted for the fifth time by the Wisconsin Energy Institute, the hands-on challenge engages students in engineering and design as they compete to build the best wind turbine, present for expert judges, and explore energy-related careers. Several teams advanced to Nationals held in San Antonio, TX.
2021 Wisconsin KidWind Challenge
The 2021 Wisconsin KidWind Challenge was held virtually on Saturday, March 6th, 2021. Teams from across the state tested their turbines in wind tunnels at their school, then Zoomed in to meet with Judges. Several teams advanced to Nationals and high school teams from Wisconsin placed in the top 5 teams nationally. Read about it here! You can view public 2021 turbine submissions on the online portal here.
2020 KidWind Challenge prepares Wisconsin students for wind energy careers
2020 year marked the third annual Wisconsin KidWind Challenge, which saw a jump to 18 teams from 2019's six, drawing competitors from across Wisconsin — and, for the first time, northern Illinois.
2019 KidWind Challenge gets students, parents, and teachers excited about wind energy
Elementary and middle school students from around the state gathered at WEI for the 2019 KidWind Challenge to construct their own model wind turbines and compete to produce the most energy.
Below are some photo highlights from previous Wisconsin Challenge Events. Click on an image to see it in a larger format.
Tech Talk Recordings
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