Yucaipa, CA—From May 17-19, Yucaipa Regional Park was center stage for the annual Inland Solar Challenge. For the second consecutive year, Colton High’s STEAM Club took to the water and improved on last year’s showing, placing fourth overall and taking home the award for Best Workmanship for engineering excellence.
At the Inland Solar Challenge, 12 schools from the Inland Empire enjoyed a weekend of competition. Teams were tested in six events: technical reporting, technical inspection, a boating speed drag race, a slalom obstacle race, an endurance race, and in the presentation of the Public Service Announcement.
Banning High School was the big winner of the weekend, coming in first overall. They were followed up by Yucaipa High in second place, and Redlands East Valley High in third.
Colton placed fourth, but showed strongly across the board. The team placed first in technical reports and tied for first in the Public Service Announcement. Additionally, they placed second in technical inspection.
Where the team struggled was in the racing. Due to a technical problem with one of the engines, the school had to repair issues on site, but did not have enough time to calibrate their boat to maximize speed in the water. They placed fourth in the slalom, and sixth in both the drag and endurance races.
For CHS senior, Josiah Diggs, “Working on the boat meant being part of a team that allowed me to apply my technical skills. This was my second time working with gears, pulleys and actual things that come from a motor.”
Diggs shared that when the team was awarded the trophy for Best Worksmanship, many of them thought it was an award for sportsmanship. “Because it was unexpected, everyone went up to accept it.”
This was junior Tyler Morales’ first year on the team, and he got involved with both the PSA and the engineering team. “There’s not even a word in my massive vocabulary I can use to describe my experience out there,” he said. “Maybe ‘connecting.’ Purely connecting. When I was with the solar boat team, I felt more belonging and it helped me connect with others and thrive in the community.”
The event, organized as a collaboration between the San Bernardino Municipal Water Department, the City of Redlands, East Valley Water District, West Valley Water District, Yucaipa Valley Water District, and the City of Colton, was an adventure for the participants.
Students arrived early to school each day and traveled out to Yucaipa Regional in district vehicles. All meals were provided, and in between events, students proceeded to improve on the boat. On Sunday, after the events were completed, everyone was encouraged to explore the regional park.
To sum up the exciting weekend, STEAM Club advisor Daniel Hearon said, “I’m very proud of the students for the work they did there.“
And as for next year? “I would expect a trophy.“
