Is the future of cars going to depend on the sun? Well for now no one knows that answer, but we know that kids are working hard to create mini models of solar powered cars to race. These solar cars aren’t real cars, they’re mini models that have a motor. There’s a solar panel hooked up to the motor which powers these cars.

Every year at Owls Head there’s a competition held for solar cars. The builders of the cars are students up to eighth grade. There are awards for speed, kids choice, technical merit and many more. The competitions are very suspenseful, and quick. Sometimes if there is no sun on the racing day, the racing is held under a roof, and the solar cars are run on battery power instead of solar energy.

Peter Zach of the MEEP program, or Maine Emergency Education Program, is in charge of the solar car competition. he teaches kids about energy, and how to help the environment by using less fossil fuel, and nonrenewable resources.

At owls head, near Rockland is the Maine Transportation Museum. The museum is very interesting to walk through. There is a model of the Wright Brothers Flyer, many old fashioned cars, and much more. The museum is a very nice place to visit after all the work and exhilaration of racing your car.

When I entered in the competition I was very excited. Building these cars was so much fun especially when you’re imagining and wondering what this car will be able to do against all the other cars from around the state. When we arrived at Owls head is when the nerves kicked in. After the first few races I started to get the hang of it. you are disqualified after you lose two races. Since I hadn’t lost any yet, I was relieved. After a while it came down tot he last four cars, me included. I was lucky since I didn’t have to go against the cars that were faster then me. It turned out I came in second place for speed! My dad had groups of kids who made solar cars. I wasn’t on his team because he teaches at Auburn Middle School, and he has his own teams. My gifted and talented education teacher, Karen Downing made the solar cars with a few students and I at our school. One of my dad’s teams came in first for speed, and my classmate came in third. The competition was very thrilling and I will definitely enter the competition this year. For more information on solar cars, or the junior solar sprint go to www.nesea.org.