TOPEKA - Twenty-two teams from 15 Kansas schools will travel to Salina on Saturday with their sights set on winning a state title in the Kansas KidWind Challenge. To qualify for the event, each team placed first or second in their age division at one of six regional competitions held throughout the state. Saturday's competition will determine the top two teams in each age bracket that will represent Kansas in the World KidWind Challenge in Minneapolis, MN.

The state finals will be held at the Temple, 336 S. Santa Fe Ave in Salina beginning at 8 a.m. The event is free and open to the public. Area educators are encouraged to attend to find out more about KidWind and see the fun, excitement and learning firsthand. KidWind is gaining momentum across the state with 84 teams from 50 schools competing this year.

To prepare for the KidWind competition, team members work together to design, build and test a wind turbine using the materials of their choice. Each team’s turbine will be put to the test in a 48" × 48" wind tunnel at a wind speed of approximately 3.0 meters/second (6.7 miles/hour). Scoring is based on turbine performance and efficiency, a knowledge quiz, an instant challenge, and a presentation to judges where the team explains its design process.

Teams participating in Saturday’s state finals are listed below:

4th-8th Grade Division

• Hutch STEM Blue – Allen STEM Magnet School – Hutchinson
• Black Bears – Sterling Jr/Sr High School – Sterling
• Beloit Breeze Club – Beloit Junior High School – Beloit
• 4 Wind Guys – Beloit Junior High School – Beloit
• Team Sky Wings – McPherson Middle School – McPherson
• Burlington Middle School – Burlington Middle School – Burlington
• Wind Warriors – Kepley Middle School – Ulysses
• Men in Black – Kepley Middle School – Ulysses
• Neon Ninjas – Oakley Middle School – Oakley
• Power Winders – Oakley Middle School – Oakley
• Voyagers – Clear Creek Elementary School – Lenexa
• Seriously Speedy Spinners – Mize Elementary School – Shawnee

9th-12th Grade Division

• Cru Winds – Buhler High School – Buhler
• White Chicks & Deryn – Sterling Jr/Sr High – Sterling
• Burlington Wind Company BLKT – Burlington High School – Burlington
• Burlington Wind Company MICZA – Burlington High School – Burlington
• The Rising Sun – Ulysses High School – Ulysses
• Big Blue Sky – Dighton High School – Dighton
• W-2 – Oakley High School – Oakley
• Gentle Breeze – Oakley High School – Oakley
• Wind Warriors Cordelius – Olathe West High School – Olathe
• Olathe West – Olathe West High School – Olathe

KidWind is an Energy Education Event from the Kansas Corporation Commission and K-State Engineering Extension made possible by a grant from the U.S. Department of Energy. The goal is to help students learn key concepts around science, technology, engineering, and math in fun and engaging ways. The KidWind program actively engages students. It teaches not only STEM skills, but also promotes teamwork, problem solving and public speaking.