Bath County High School Kid Wind Team is National Champs

For some members of the Bath Kid Wind team, and their team of coaches, this story has been about four years in the making. After placing in and winning some regional competitions with their electricity-generating wind turbine, they returned home in the wee hours of last Saturday morning from Chicago as National Champions. Their turbine generated over three times as much electricity as their closest competition, and even burned a hole in the carpet of the Chicago Convention Center.   I asked some members of the team what they thought contributed to their Victory.

“I’m Tyler Thompson, and the things that got us to Chicago for me was teamwork, and cooperation.

My name is Austin Dean, and I’d say that hard work, and team work, and our coaches got us to Chicago”

I’m Clay Sharp, and the three things I believe got us to Chicago is out teamwok, our community, and our hard work.”

“I’m Matthew McCune, and I believe that what got us to Chicago was teamwork, dedication and time put forward to our project.

“I’m Jacob McComb and I believe what got us to Chicago was teamwork, dedication and our coaches.” The high school coaches are Ed Ozuls, Joey Altizer, Larry Grubbs and Kayla Jordan. Charles Offer, a BCHS junior and one of the veteran team members wasn’t present for this interview, but has two younger brothers participating on the Middle School team who also made the trip.

The countless hours of work designing and constructing the winning Redwood Express took place many evenings and weekends too. When I asked them what it felt like when the judges announced first place, the group took turns replying.

“It didn’t really hit me until later on that night, and the next morning that we were National Champions.”

“It was pretty great; I mean it’s a good feeling to bring something back that’s never been done in Bath County before.”

I was very excited to know that we were National Champions.”

“It was more of a relief that we finally sort of got what we deserved, and that we were National Champions”

“I was really glad; it just really hit me hard.”

I also wanted to know what they had liked about Chicago in addition to the National Wind Energy Association Convention and Kid Wind Competition. Like most teenagers, they said:

“Good food, the food, the food, the food.” And they enjoyed seeing a Chicago Cubs game vey much too.

Several middle schoolers are the next generation of Bath County wind technicians, and they stopped by the high school Carpentry shop to talk a little about their experience too.

“I’m Peyton Almodova, I’m Cameron Lowry, I’m Cooper Lowry, I’m Ale Frame, I’m Matt Harrold.” Peyton shared a thought on the difference it makes when older students can share their experience, and in some cases even mentor the younger ones with these specific skills.

“It was very good for us, because they gave us pointers a lot of the time. They helped us work on our turbine. They let us use their shop. And that was only our second year, and we couldn’t have made it without them.” For a complete list of names of all the participating students and coaches please see this story on alleghenymountainradio.org, and stay tuned for a conclusion when a couple of the coaches remember Chicago 2018.

Both Teams and Coaches:

BCHS
Matt McCune, Austin Dean, Tyler Thompson, Charles Offer, Kleigh Sharp,
Jake McComb
Coaches Ed Ozols, Larry Grubbs, Joey Altizer, Kayala Jordan
VES
Cameron Lowry
Cooper Lowry
Ali Frame
Matt Harold
Peyton Almodovar
Caiden Offer
Braiden Offer
Vyvyen Bradley
Nate Phillips
Dawson Ryder
Coaches Ed Ozols, Kristy Pasco, Darah Heverner, Josh Hampton

 

Story By

Bonnie Ralston

Bonnie Ralston is the Assistant Station Coordinator at WVLS and a Highland County news reporter. She began volunteering at Allegheny Mountain Radio in the fall of 2005. In 2006 she became an AMR employee and worked in Bath County for eight years as the WCHG Station Coordinator and then as the news reporter there. She began working in radio while in college and has stayed connected to radio, in one way or another, for more than thirty years. She grew up in Staunton, Virginia, while spending a lot of time on her family’s farm in Deerfield, Virginia. She enjoys spending time outside, watching old TV shows and movies and tending to her chickens.

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