MATTAWA - Led by advisors Arthur Morken and Myron Hamilton, a group of Wahluke Junior High students had an eye-popping experience in Washington, D.C. at the end of April.

They went to compete in the National KidWind Challenge, an opportunity they had earned just two weeks earlier. There was a scramble to get the financing for the trip.

"We are very thankful to Marisela Guzman, Ima Terry, Penny Matheson, Andy Harlow, Aaron Chavez, Sean Langdon, and all the Wahluke staff that helped get the kids to D.C.," Hamilton said.

The competition was part of the bigger USA Science and Engineering Festival on April 25-27. The STEM Festival has a mission of re-invigorating the interest of the nation's youths in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Before the trip to D.C., Wahluke students worked to refine the wind turbine they had built to compete at a regional CWU event, where they qualified for the national meet.

"Through the iterative engineering design process, students re-evaluated their project to increase the turbine blade area, adjust the blade pitch and improve the gearing characteristics," Morken said.

Through testing, these changes doubled the generator's output, Hamilton said. After the scoring was finished, Wahluke students came in at the middle of the pack. They were judged on energy produced in the wind tunnel, turbine design, documentation, and knowledge of subject matter.

"The judges were impressed with all our students had accomplished and the amount of improvement they had made in such a short time frame between the events," Hamilton said.

Speaking of the overall experience, Morken said: "Students make meaningful connections when encountered with real world problems and memorable opportunities. These students continue to fill their engineering tool kits. By enrolling in the growing engineering-focused courses at Wahluke High School, we will see promising engineers develop."

Before the trip seventh grader Kevin Gomez said "I have the talent. I only need the opportunity."

All six WJH students who attended are enrolled in Gateway to Technology (GTT) courses and used their Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) skills to create the wind turbine. And they were excited to see the nation's capitol.

"We had fun competing against other teams and also got to see things like the plane flown by the Wright Brothers at the National Air and Space Museum." seventh grader Brian Santiago said.

Eighth grader Itzel Guerrero echoed similar thoughts, saying: "We had fun at the STEM Festival. We learned several new things. We also got to see monuments and memorials."

Overall, the students had a memorable trip and are already planning for next year's TSA and STEM events. Several fundraising events are in the works.

If you would like to make contributions of time, knowledge or funding, you are asked contact WJH for more details.