Solar-powered cars heat up at St. Anne's School [Lodi]

source: Jessica A. Hardy Lodi News-Sentinel 2003.6.04

As in perfect harmony with the event, the late-morning
sun hovered hot and bright above the students of Lisa
Norman's sixth-grade class at St. Anne's School in Lodi
on Tuesday.

It was a perfect day to race solar-powered cars.

Solar car racer Jose Sandoval, right, celebrates with classmate
Steve Lechner after the winning the race of champions Tuesday
at St. Anne's School.

Norman's class was the first to take full advantage of a
community outreach program sponsored by the city of
Lodi-owned Electric Utility. The program, Lodi Solar
Education Outreach Project, hopes to introduce energy
technology to the community through hands-on
experience.

The utility has purchased 10 solar power technology kits
for use by the Lodi Unified School District, along with
two others for local private schools, said Rob Lechner,
manager of customer service and programs at Lodi
Electric, who heads LSEOP.

Additionally, Lodi Electric is offering teachers mini grants of
up to $1,500 for the use of promoting energy technology in
the classroom.

"We sell a product," said Lechner, "but this gives students a
chance to work with upcoming technologies including
natural power sources such as wind, solar and water -- an
opportunity that will have long-term effects."

St. Anne's sixth-graders not only had the opportunity to make
solar-powered cars, but
they will also get to keep their solar panels which were
donated by Lodi Electric and the Martinez-based
Rahus Institute, a nonprofit organization focused on
promoting the research of and education about
renewable energy in California. The panels cost about
$30 each.

"I'm going to try to figure out what this thing can do,"
said sixth-grader Daniel Connolly, referring to his race
car. Connolly will use his solar plan to attempt to power
a light bulb when he has some extra time this summer.

Norman started considering the possibilities of a solar
powered car project at a conference last summer. Both
Solar Schoolhouse, the energy educational program
developed by The Rahus Institute, and Lodi Electric,
sponsored the solar power project.

The project's success was a product of the perseverance
of the students and the outpouring of parental support,
according to Norman and Lechner

However, sixth-grader Kristen Erickson was quick to
say that the "grown-ups" really only did the drilling in
assembling the kits.

"We got to do this mostly by ourselves," she said. "We
cut the frames, glued them, screwed them together and
tested them when they were done."

Norman said that her reward was seeing the persistence
and eventual success of students who didn't succeed at
first. She also enjoyed seeing the kids help and teach
each other.

Norman is confident that her class will be ready to go
into seventh grade next year armed with the tools of
perseverance that they learned in part from this project.

"I'll definitely do it again," she said.

The races began at 11:05 a.m. Tuesday and continued
until all 30 students had a chance to test their cars.
Winners from each of the six heats raced a second time
to determine the overall fastest solar-powered vehicle.

Some cars took the scenic route to the finish line,
swerving into the competition or turning wide circles in
the wrong direction. These wayward vehicles had to be
physically redirected toward their destination about 20
meters away. Other cars seemed to breeze straight past
their rivals and head for victory.

"I'm just happy I got to build it," said William Medford,
whose car took the long route to the finish line.

All the students were rewarded for their hard work with
a pizza party after the races. The first second and third
place finishers got gift cards from Best Buy.

Jose Sandoval got first place and a $25 gift card, Greg
Franks and Michael Sprake tied for second, and Jordan
Wernette took third.

"To win, I figured out that all I had to do was hook the
motor up to the panel at the last minute. That way, the
motor was fresh," Sandoval said, referring to the fact that
most of his classmates were testing their cars right up
until their races started.

For more information about the Lodi Solar Education
Outreach Project or grants for teachers, call the Lodi
Electric Utility's Customer Information Center line at
209-333-6815.

Solar Schoolhouse