KidWind Challenge 2025

Willow Bend Environmental Education Center invites educators and students to join the annual KidWind Challenge 2025. The event, held at Coconino Center for the Arts on April 17th, requires student teams to design and test small-scale wind turbines to generate electricity. The KidWind Challenge is a hands-on learning experience promoting STEM education. Participation is free, with ample support from us, and students have the chance to win exciting prizes.

What is the KidWind Challenge?

The KidWind Challenge is a hands-on design competition that engages students in STEM through the lens of wind energy. Student teams design and construct small wind turbines that they test, and then virtually present their design process and demonstrate their conceptual knowledge on renewable energy.

Learn more about the KidWind Challenge here.

 

Who Can Participate?

Any group of students in 4th-12th grade is eligible to enter a team in the  KidWind Challenge. Teams can include students from public and private schools, home schoolers, after school clubs, Boy Scout and Girl Scout troops, etc. As long as you have an adult coach, you can participate! Each Team can have 2-5 students, and the team must have an adult mentor. The mentor will be responsible for registering the team for the competition and managing the team's progress. A teacher/group leader can mentor multiple teams (for example, if you have a whole class or club participating).

How will teams compete?

Teams will gather at the regional event to present their projects and compete with all other teams . If you aren't able to attend the event, we can schedule to visit your school to see your projects.  You can also opt out of the school visit and independently submit your team's projects to KidWind's monthly Online Wind Challenge.

What is the timeframe of the challenges?

Testing and judging of projects will happen in the spring, but you can do a renewable energy unit at any time during the school year to complete your projects.

How to Get Started:

If you need support getting started, e-mail Melissa at melissa@willowbendcenter.org .

KidWind Project Teacher Trainings

Are you an Arizona educator thinking about doing the AZ KidWind Challenge with your classroom or club, but don't know where to start? KidWind Project has upcoming (virtual) Teacher Trainings. We often have scholarships available for these trainings.

Questions?

Check out the KidWind Challenge Rulebook or e-mail info@willowbendcenter.org with any questions.

Thank you to our partners, that make the Flagstaff KidWind Challenge  possible.