Benjamin Logan Elementary School recently hosted the Women Powering Honda organization (Women in Engineering) to assist young girls in grades three and four in building “A Souped Up Superhero Solar Vehicle.”
The event was funded through a grant called STEM to Bloom awarded by Honda Research & Development Americas, Inc.
There were nine groups of girls and nine women professional volunteers working in small teams to design the solar cars. The day began with researching, brainstorming and making a plan and continued with the Women Powering Honda volunteers providing support to the students as they constructed and tested their prototypes. The day concluded on the blacktop area outside the commons as the participants tested and raced their cars.
Fourth-grade teacher Barb Kuck and Gifted Intervention Specialist Amy McCormick facilitated the event.
Kuck was impressed with how the student’s vocabulary changed by the end of the day to include aerodynamics, chassis, axle, wheel, bearing, friction, gears, motor, transmission and drag.