EnergyWhiz – April 25, 2025
EnergyWhiz is all about clean energy and creative kids. Hosted in Cocoa FL at FSEC, EnergyWhiz is a hybrid event with online and in-person elements designed to celebrate student learning through project-based competitions that showcase renewable energy, energy efficiency, climate science and resiliency.
Categories and rules for each of the EnergyWhiz competitions are listed in the table below. Check out the timeline that follows for important due dates.
Register as many teams as you want for $10 each (in the store). See the competition rules for information regarding awards and team limits.
If registration fees are a hardship, please contact Susan@fsec.ucf.edu
JSS Green | JSS Blue | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Competitions | K-2 | 3-5 | 6-8 | 9-12 | 4-6 | 7-8 | Team Size | Rules |
Junior Solar Sprint | ✅ | ✅ | 2-4 | |||||
Critter Comfort Cottage | ✅ | ✅ | 2-6 | |||||
Energy Inspired Art | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 1-6 | |||
Energy Transfer Machine | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 1-6 | ||||
Solar Energy Cook-Off | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | 2-6 | ||||
SECO Yellow | SECO Orange | SECO Red |
Critter Comfort Cottage
The Critter Comfort Cottage (CCC) competition is a real-world engineering and communications challenge. Students use green building design and construction techniques to create an energy-efficient, cost-effective, comfortable “home” for a critter. Teams must also create a marketing plan that describes the features and benefits of their comfort cottage for the critter they have selected.
Energy Inspired Art
Energy Inspired Art (EIA) is a competition where the objective is to create a work of art that is inspired by an aspect of renewable energy, energy efficiency and/or climate science. Any art media, technique, visual, performance, musical or literary art may be submitted.
Energy Transfer Machine
In the Energy Transfer Machine (ETM) competition students are challenged to transform everyday materials into a wacky, innovative machine that performs a variety of energy transfers within a specified time. The machine must accomplish a team-specified task at the one-minute mark. Teams don’t bring their machines to EnergyWhiz.
Junior Solar Sprint
In the Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) competition, students build a model size solar electric car. This event challenges students to use their science, creative thinking, and teamwork skills.
Supplemental classroom/team activities to aid team design decisions:
Student activities
JSS Teacher/coach pages
Solar Car kits, which include a 3V solar panel and an electric motor, can be bought from:
Solar Made
Pitsco
Solar Energy Cook-Off
Students design and building a solar thermal “oven” to cook their own tasty creations. These are then presented to a panel of judges. Students compete for best solar cooker design, as well as a culinary award.
Related Links:
Solar Cooker International
Fresh From Florida