CHINA LAKE, Calif. – Trish Gresham, NAWCWD Education Outreach Program (EOP) coordinator at China Lake, organized a volunteer opportunity between the NAWCWD EOP and Pierce Elementary School in Ridgecrest, Calif. Two candidates from the NAWCWD Engineer Scientist Development Program (ESDP), Nickolas Jiang and Dustin Shaffer, were the first ESDPs to volunteer for the renewable energy event.

Using a GREENtech Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Educational Lab kit that allows students to build a solar-powered model car and wind turbine, Shaffer and Jiang conducted a 12-week after-school renewable energy class for 5th grade Gifted and Talented Education (GATE) program students.

Shaffer commented, “It’s been the greatest experience for me. The GATE students have been amazing. The kids were enthusiastic about learning in every session.”

Jiang and Shaffer agreed that the students they worked with were immensely curious -- not only about how solar power, wind power, and fuel cells work, but also about how they could apply renewable energy to new and unique applications. For example, after a solar energy lesson, some students wanted to build a solar-powered tank that could shoot paintballs; another wanted to build a solar-powered tank that shot BBs. Since the engineers encouraged fun, creativity, and teamwork, they embraced their students’ ideas, but with a twist.

Shaffer explained, “We improvised a bit to the solar part of the lesson plan. We bought two battery-powered race cars and modified them to operate under solar power.” The instructors divided the class into two teams to race the solar-powered model cars on a customized obstacle course.

Jiang added, “Just imagine what new ideas the students will come up with after we are done with wind power and fuel cells. The future of DoD is looking bright. This is what makes the renewable energy class cool."