Saukville, WI— Sugar Maple Nature School’s 3rd-6th grade students showcased their exceptional skills in renewable energy design and problem-solving at the KidWind State Competition held in Madison this past weekend. Two of the school’s teams qualified for the Worlds Competition, which will take place in Phoenix, Arizona, this May.
In the Elementary Wind Division, one of the teams from Sugar Maple Nature School, The Wind Whisperers, earned 1st place with their innovative wind turbine design. The team includes 5th graders Bentley Neumann, Gideon VanSpeybroeck and Finn Rosengren, and 3rd grade students Louie Menghe and Lydia Schroeder. The team was coached by teacher Jacob Hess.
The team’s project involved designing and testing a wind turbine by altering key variables such as blade material, shape, number, and angle. Teams were judged based on their energy output in the wind tunnel tests, as well as their presentation skills and performance in two instant challenges.
This year’s instant challenges required teams to:
1. Use a multimeter to identify faulty wires within a cluster and measure current and voltage.
2. Design a layout of multiple wind turbines to maximize energy production while reducing scatter—all within a 20-minute time limit.
The instant challenges showcase the team’s ability to think critically, communicate and work collaboratively, and demonstrate teamwork.
The Wind Whisperers did produce the most energy of their elementary division and achieved the highest energy output in the wind tunnel tests of any team at the competition, including high school competitors.
“We are incredibly proud of our students’ achievements.” said Cindy Raimer, Director of Education of Sugar Maple Nature School. “Their success at KidWind exemplifies our mission to provide meaningful, real-world learning experiences that empower students to become environmental stewards and problem-solvers.”
In the Middle School Solar Division, another Sugar Maple Nature School team, the Wildfires, secured 1st place with an outstanding solar energy project. The team’s solar home design integrated sustainable technologies with features that honored the social and cultural connections of its inhabitants. The team included 6th grade students Liam Trainor, Isaac Fahrenkrug, Robin Teske and Ó Séaghdha Reilly. The team was coached by teacher Allison Servais.
This accomplishment highlights the school’s commitment to fostering hands-on STEM learning and environmental education. Jeff Kierzek, Director of Community Outreach at Sugar Maple Nature School, shared, “KidWind has provided our students with opportunities to apply their knowledge of renewable energy in a hands-on way, fostering both innovation and promoting environmental stewardship. Their dedication to sustainable solutions is inspiring, and we look forward to seeing how they continue to grow as future leaders in clean energy.”
The KidWind Worlds Competition in Phoenix will provide an exciting platform for Sugar Maple Nature School students to showcase their talents on an international stage. The school community looks forward to supporting the teams as they prepare for this next phase of the competition.
Interested in visiting our school? Come to our Sugar Maple Nature School Welcome Event on April 26th, 2025. Our event will begin with a visit from the Riverkeepers where you can sign up to volunteer to keep our section of the Milwaukee River clean, followed by our open to the public event including a live reptile show, food trucks, kids’ activities, and more. To learn more about our upcoming events, visit our website https://sugarmaplenatureschool.org/events/.
About Sugar Maple Nature School
Sugar Maple Nature School is dedicated to providing experiential, nature-based education that integrates STEM, environmental stewardship, and community engagement. Located in Saukville, WI, the free, public charter school serves kindergarten to middle school students from 16 different districts and emphasizes hands-on learning to inspire future leaders. Interested students for the 25-26 school year can apply to SMNS through open enrollment, which is happening now and ends on April 30 at 4 p.m.