Ready, Set, Build: 17th Annual Solar Cup™ Launches

Metropolitan Water District of Southern California

WHAT:

  Saws will be whizzing, drills will be buzzing and sawdust will be flying as more than 400 students from high schools across five Southern California counties build 16-foot canoe-like boats, kicking off the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s 17th annual Solar Cup™ competition.
 
The boat-building workshop is part of a series of activities in the seven-month Solar Cup program, which culminates with student teams racing their boats in sprint and endurance races May 17-19, 2019 at Metropolitan’s Lake Skinner in Riverside County.
 

WHEN:

Saturday, Nov. 3, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
 

WHERE:

Three Valleys Municipal Water District, 1021 E. Miramar Ave., Claremont
 

VISUALS:

Students, some handling tools for the first time, will use boat hull kits, building instructions, saws, drills and other tools to build their hulls, with the help of their teachers and Metropolitan’s education program leaders.
 

BACKGROUND:

Solar Cup began in 2002 with eight schools and 100 students. This year, about 850 students from 42 schools in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties are participating. Saturday’s workshop is limited to 12 students from each team (list of participating schools attached).
 
In the months ahead, teams will apply math, physics and engineering skills to equip the boats with steering, solar panels, batteries and sun-driven motors producing up to 320 watts. Students will also accumulate points through the submission of two technical reports and a water conservation public service announcement.
 
While Metropolitan provides the boat kits and tools, Metropolitan’s member agencies and their water retailers financially sponsor the teams, providing $4,000 to new teams and $2,500 to returning teams to fully build and equip their boats.
 

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, serves nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.

         
Anaheim Public Utilities   Anaheim High School   Anaheim
Burbank Water & Power   Burbank High School   Burbank
Long Beach Water Department   Cabrillo High School   Long Beach
Las Virgenes MWD   Calabasas High School   Calabasas

Western MWD* **

  Centennial High School   Corona

West Basin MWD**

  Centinela Valley Union High SD   Lawndale
Inland Empire Utilities Agency*   Chino Hills High School   Chino Hills
City of Compton   Compton High School   Compton

Municipal Water District of Orange County*

  Costa Mesa High School   Costa Mesa
San Diego County Water Authority   Del Lago Academy   Escondido
Three Valleys MWD*   Diamond Ranch High School   Pomona

Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD**

  Don Bosco Technical Institute   Rosemead
Central Basin MWD   Downey High School   Downey

Western MWD* **

  Eastvale STEM Academy @ Roosevelt HS   Corona
Western MWD*   Elsinore HS / Lakeside HS / Temescal Canyon HS   Wildomar
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power   Franklin High School   Los Angeles
Three Valleys MWD*   Ganesha High School   Pomona

City of Glendale**

  Glendale High School   Glendale
Eastern MWD*   Hemet USD Team (West Valley HS; Western Science Ctr; Hemet HS)   Hemet
San Diego County Water Authority   High Tech High North County   San Marcos
Pasadena Water & Power   John Muir High School   Pasadena
Foothill MWD*   La Cañada High School   La Cañada Flintridge
West Basin MWD   Lennox Math, Science & Technology Academy   Lennox
Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD   Los Altos High School   Hacienda Heights
Inland Empire Utilities Agency*   Los Osos High School   Rancho Cucamonga

Anaheim Public Utilities**

  Magnolia High School   Anaheim
Long Beach Water Department   McBride High School   Long Beach
West Basin MWD   Mira Costa High School   Manhattan Beach
Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD   Mountain View High School   El Monte
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power   Narbonne High School   Harbor City

Three Valleys MWD*

  Nogales High School   La Puente
Western MWD*   Norte Vista High School   Riverside

Las Virgenes MWD**

  Oaks Christian School   Westlake Village
Municipal Water District of Orange County*   Oxford Academy   Cypress
West Basin MWD   Palos Verdes High School   Palos Verdes Estates
Eastern MWD*   Perris Union High SD Team (Heritage HS; Perris HS)   Romoland

Three Valleys MWD* **

  Pomona High School   Pomona

Eastern MWD* **

  San Jacinto Valley Academy   San Jacinto

Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD**

  Sierra Vista High School   Baldwin Park
Eastern MWD*   Temecula Valley USD Team (Chaparral HS / Great Oak HS)   Temecula
Inland Empire Utilities Agency*   Upland High School   Upland
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power   Venice HS STEMM Magnet   Los Angeles

* Has Co-Sponsor(s)
** Rookie Team