`IOLANI SCHOOL NATIONAL CHAMPIONS IN U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY'S "REAL WORLD DESIGN CHALLENGE"
For Immediate Release: March 21, 2009
HONOLULU – Governor Linda Lingle today announced that a high school team from Hawai‘i has captured the national championship title in the U.S. Department of Energy’s 2009 Real World Design Challenge (RWDC). ‘Iolani School’s Team “NDC” beat out nine other high school teams from nine different states to earn the nation’s top title in today’s competition held in the Washington, D.C. The six-member, all-girl team from ‘Iolani prevailed as one of the top three finalists this afternoon, along with teams from Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. After presenting their project at the finals held at Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum this evening, the ‘Iolani team was named the national champion. “We feel like we're dreaming!” said team member Jessica Lynn Saylors, a senior at ‘Iolani School. “What an honor to have had the opportunity to compete, but winning the national championship makes it even better.” Other members of the winning team included seniors Anya Liao, Amy Ko, Celia Ou, Adeline Li, and Julia Zhang. “I am intensely proud of these girls,” said Dr. Carey Inouye, an ‘Iolani School physics teacher, who served as the team’s coach and accompanied the team to the national competition. “Throughout the months of preparation, they rose to every challenge. Even today, as they prepared for their presentation in front of PhDs and energy industry professionals, they handled themselves with grace and confidence. The challenge was in just getting here, but they tackled every step with success.” The ‘Iolani team won a contribution of $3,000 to their school’s science/technology department, a Real World Design Challenge Trophy and a model of the Cessna Citation X aircraft, provided by the Cessna Aircraft Company. Each team member also received an iPod Shuffle, courtesy of Parametric Technology Corporation. “I would like to offer my congratulations to all of the students who competed in the Real World Design Challenge,” U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu said. “Today’s competition shows that U.S. students, when challenged to excel, are able to perform at the highest levels in science, math and engineering. The student team from ‘Iolani School worked together to solve a real-life engineering challenge, with impressive results. Our goal for the Real World Design Challenge is that it will continue to encourage students to study and pursue careers in engineering.” The RWDC is a national learning program that challenges teams of teachers and students to develop innovative solutions to significant technical problems as defined by the aerospace industry. This year’s challenge presented high school teams with detailed specifications and performance capabilities of an existing twin-engine jet aircraft, and then asked students to redesign the plane to improve its fuel efficiency without drastically reducing the load capacity, flying time, or any other characteristics of the original aircraft. In order to succeed, teams were challenged to balance the competing forces of aerodynamics, propulsion, structures and controls, with each particular element of the redesign process being assigned to an individual team member. Success depended on strong science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills – in combination with effective, innovative and sustained teamwork. ‘Iolani’s Team NDC was one of 14 teams from nine high schools across the state – Farrington, Kalani, ‘Iolani, Castle, Campbell, Waipahu, Nanakuli, Sacred Hearts, and Anuenue – that took part in the state-level competition. The local teams worked with professional mentors at the Department of Energy’s national energy laboratories, the Federal Aviation Administration, and aerospace companies nationwide to formulate their solution to the design challenge. Teachers supporting the student teams were provided access to technical training and advanced engineering software that could be used to assist the students in developing their design. Governor Lingle applauded the efforts of all students, teachers and mentors who engaged in this competition, noting that the RWDC is helping Hawai‘i’s youth obtain the critical STEM skills they will need to succeed in their professional careers, while helping to develop a diversified, innovation-based economy. “This is outstanding news. I am so very proud of the students from 'Iolani. Their win today reinforces that Innovation is a key component of growing our economy and ensuring our workforce has the skills and knowledge to succeed in an increasingly competitive global market,” Governor Lingle said. “The Real World Design Challenge is another innovative hands-on learning program that provides our students with opportunities to apply science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM skills, to develop solutions to actual challenges facing our industries. Governor Lingle also stressed that the RWDC is making a long-term investment in Hawai‘i’s educators. “When the team visited with me earlier this year, I emphasized that the teachers are inspiring innovation in our youth,” the Governor said. “They are an important part of expanding the role that science, technology, engineering and math play in building an economy where everyone can prosper. The millions of dollars of leading-edge software and access to industry experts provided through the RWDC are helping our state enhance students’ STEM skills and analytical thinking capabilities, which in turn will help us build a stronger economy statewide.” Hawai‘i was chosen by the U.S. Department of Energy in October 2008 to be one of 10 founding states to launch this national education initiative. The other states are Connecticut, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia and Washington. The RWDC is being coordinated in Hawai‘i through the STEM Workforce Development Program Office at the University of Hawai‘i. For additional information, please contact Jeff Bloom, State RWDC coordinator, at 371-6600. More information, including the winning presentation by ‘Iolani School, can be found at http://www.scied.science.doe.gov/RWDC/index.html. ####
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