Allen STEM Magnet Teams claim two state KidWind championships, earn berth at World Competition
Information obtained from Hutchinson Public Schools Facebook and Allen STEM Magnet KidWind Team Facebook.
ALLEN, Texas — Four teams from Allen STEM Magnet School swept the state KidWind Challenge last Saturday, collecting five awards including two division championships and punching their tickets to the World KidWind Challenge in Madison, Wisconsin.
The Whirlwinds and the Mavericks claimed state titles in the 4th-5th grade and 6th-8th grade divisions, respectively, earning invitations to compete on the national stage. The 2026 World KidWind Challenge will be held May 17-20 on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus.
All four Allen teams left the competition with hardware. The Da Minions earned the Most Artistic Turbine award in the 4th-12th grade category, while the Golden Winders took home the Most Improved Joules award in the 4th-5th grade division. The Whirlwinds added the Dan Whisler Innovation Award to their trophy case alongside their state championship, and the Mavericks also captured the Instant Challenge Best in Shark award in the 6th-8th grade division.
The KidWind Challenge is a hands-on renewable energy competition in which student teams bring small-scale wind turbines or solar devices they have designed to the challenge, where they are tested for power output. Teams also meet with a panel of expert judges to present their design process, demonstrate their contextual knowledge and tackle instant challenge activities.
At the World KidWind Challenge, teams travel to compete in several competition elements, attend events with students from other states and explore opportunities to continue their passion for a clean energy future. Turbines are tested in wind tunnels and evaluated on total energy produced over a 30-second trial period, measured in joules.
The competition draws teams from across the country. Several teams from various regional challenges have already earned the opportunity to advance to the KidWind World Challenge, which will be held May 17-20 in Madison, Wisconsin. The event is sponsored in part by Google.
Supporters can follow the Whirlwinds and Mavericks on their journey to Worlds on the Allen STEM Magnet School Facebook page.