Picatinny supports second annual Junior Solar Sprint Race

By Picatinny STEM OfficeJune 3, 2015

Picatinny supports second annual Junior Solar Sprint Race
The Picatinny science, technology, engineering and mathematics or STEM program, in conjunction with Research Development Engineering Command & Army Education Outreach Program (RDECOM / AEOP,) held the second annual Picatinny Junior Solar Sprint Invit... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. (June 3, 2015) -- On May 27 Picatinny Arsenal's science, technology, engineering and mathematics, STEM, program held its second annual Junior Solar Sprint Invitational.

Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) is a free educational program for middle school students where students design, build and race solar powered cars using hands-on engineering skills and principles of science and math.

By developing teamwork and problem solving abilities, students also investigate environmental issues, and gain hands-on STEM skills to create the fastest, most interesting, and best crafted vehicle. It is designed to support the instruction of STEM in categories such as alternative fuels, engineering design and aerodynamics.

In conjunction with the U.S. Army's Research Development and Engineering Command and U.S. Army Education Outreach Program (AEOP) Picatinny began hosting Jr. Solar Sprint Invitational races in 2014. The arsenal provides venue for the race as well as mentorship and judging for the event.

Since the success of the first year, more than 100 students and teachers from five local middle schools (Frankford, Mount Arlington, Randolph, Roxbury and St. Anthony) visited Picatinny Arsenal to participate in the competition which took place at the Forge Fitness Center.

The event was held indoors, so the cars ran on two AA batteries while still holding on to their solar panels as they raced along a 20 meter guide wire.

The students also had to provide an engineering lab notebook for review and judging by science and engineering volunteers. The lab notebook demonstrated the students' ability to clearly document their thought process in designing, developing, building and testing their proposed solar powered race car. The students with the best notebook were provided a separate award for their exemplary engineering notebook.

This year's winning race team who will represent Picatinny at the Dallas, Texas National JSS Challenge is Thomas Exton and Angelo Tuminello of Team PA-40 from Roxbury's Eisenhower Middle School.

Team PA-40 designed, developed, tested and raced an electric powered race car that dominated the field with an easy to use, robust vehicle that completed the 20m long track in under 4.5 seconds.

The winners of the best engineering notebook were Monihsa Nath and Vanessa DeBona of Team 14 from Mount Arlington. They took home a 3-D printed trophy filled to the brim with AA batteries, which can be used to develop the next generation of solar sprint cars.

RDECOM and AEOP provided the Jr. Solar Sprint kits as well as an all-expense paid trip to the national event for the two winning students, their parents and teacher.

Related Links:

U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center (ARDEC) homepage

U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command (RDECOM) homepage

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