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Community Corner

Academia Avance to Compete in 2011 Solar Cup

Students will camp out at Lake Skinner for three-day competition.

A group of students from Academia Avance Charter School who regularly sacrifice their afternoons to learn about alternative energy are being rewarded with a chance to compete in the ninth annual Solar Cup on May 13 at Lake Skinner in Temecula Valley.

“They are probably our best students,” said student activities coordinator and parent liaison Angela Vizcaya. “I see a lot of potential in them, they are very dedicated, and they are definitely college bound students. They are definitely leaders.”

The Solar Cup is an annual competition for California high schools, which is hosted by the Metropolitan Water District and other local water agencies. Approximately 800 students participate in the event.

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The students' task is to build a solar-powered boat that will go head to head in competition with other schools that have also created boats.

Students meet for two hours on Wednesdays and anywhere from two to four hours on Saturdays to work on their boat.

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“We show up around 9:30 or 10 a.m. and figure out what we need to get done,” said junior Christian Ureno, 17, who is in his second year on the solar cup team. “Then we delegate responsibilities. Some people are sanding, some people are getting epoxy ready, and others are equipped with paint brushes, ready to paint.”

Ureno said he joined the team for the experience and because it also looks good on his resume for college.

The length of the project spans over seven months. It began in November and culminates with the three day event in May.

The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power sponsored Academia Avance last year, which was its first year competing in the Solar Cup. And has again sponsored them for this year's competition. LADWP donated $2,500 to cover the cost of supplies associated with building the boat.

“The most challenging aspect of the Solar Cup is the racing,” said Robert Chavez, a 17-year-old junior at Academia Avance. “It’s intense. Trying to get everything ready on the day of the race is hectic because we are rushing to get everything done.”

There are many requirements the team must take into consideration while building their boats, but the most important is that the solar output for the devices on their boat does not exceed 320 watts. Additionally, only one person, the skipper, is allowed inside the boat.

Teams that do not adhere to any of the requirements can be assessed penalties that will detract from their overall score.

“We have to be precise with measurements too or the boat can be off balance,” Chavez said.

The competition itself includes qualifying—a 200 meter straight course designated to test the skipper’s ability to control the boat in a straight line under full power, sprints, and endurance races.

Last year, Academia Avance was one of 10 new teams, and 36 overall, competing in the Solar Cup.

According to team members, they finished in 24th place.

"I’m worried about getting the boat to a point where we are really going to be competitive this year. Last year, we weren’t that competitive,” said Paul Im, who is coaching the team for the first time.

Im says that the students can learn a number of significant tools by being involved in the competition.

“The first thing they learn is how to be independent and also how to work as a team to devise a plan and come up with solutions--all working world stuff,” said Im. “I try not to be too heavy handed in getting them to do things because this is all voluntary and they come in on their own time.”

Im said the Solar Cup is an environmental project that is designed to show students the importance of solar power and how to directly work with solar power as well as water.

“I think they become more aware and conscious of the environmental effects of solar energy and water in their lives,” he said. “It’s also fun.”

 Im said, “They get out there, build a boat and have a great race.”

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