The Australian Solar Boat Challenge is being held on Friday, September 25, 2009 at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.
Since it started in 2006, the Australian International Solar Boat Challenge has grown from 25 to over 160 teams participating in 2008 from across Australia. Each team designs and creates a solar boat, competing together in a National Final held this year at the Sydney International Regatta Centre. The Challenge is run by non-profit organisation S.E.E.S.
This year, a school group from Claremont Meadows Public School in Western Sydney is fielding two teams, making it the school's third year in competition.
"It is the kids who really want to participate in actually building the boat or the presentation side. Kids that may not necessarily participate in too many other extra-curricular areas but for some reason making a boat or doing the presentation seems to grab them," Colleen Mitchell, a science teacher at the school, said.
"The very first year I was just excited to have a boat that worked because I did not know anything about making the boat. The kids were just so excited to be there and watch it race," she said.
The children in the school have given up their Wednesday, Thursday and Friday lunch times over the past few months to design and build their boats from scratch.
"We are having a really great time making the boats. We actually build a new boat from scratch every year so that a new group of kids get that opportunity and new experience," Mrs. Mitchell said.
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