Let the Competition Begin: 18th Annual Solar Cup™ Launches

Southland high schoolers converge for boat-building workshop this Saturday (Nov. 2)

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California:

WHAT:	Students will break out the power tools and kick off the 18^th annual Solar Cup™ season at this Saturday’s boat-building workshop. More than 700 students from 36 Southern California-area high school teams will begin building 16-foot canoe-like boats that they will race in the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s solar-powered boat competition, held May 15-17 at Lake Skinner in southeast Riverside County.
	The boat-building workshop is the first in a series of Solar Cup activities held over the next seven months, when students will gain hands-on experience in math, electrical and mechanical engineering, and problem-solving, while learning about the importance of the conservation of natural resources.
WHEN:	Saturday, Nov. 2, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.
WHERE:	Three Valleys Municipal Water District, 1021 E. Miramar Ave., Claremont
VISUALS:	Students, some handling tools for the first time, will use boat hull kits, saws, drills and other tools to build their hulls, with the help of their teachers and Metropolitan’s education program leaders.
BACKGROUND:
	Solar Cup began in 2002 with eight schools and 100 students. It has grown to one of the largest solar-powered boating competitions in the country. This year, about 720 students from 36 schools in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and San Diego counties are participating (list of schools attached).
	In the months ahead, teams will work together to equip the boats with steering, solar panels, batteries and sun-driven motors producing up to 320 watts. Students will also accumulate points through the submission of two technical reports and a water conservation public service announcement.
	While Metropolitan provides the boat kits and tools, Metropolitan’s member agencies and their water retailers financially sponsor the teams, providing $4,000 to new teams and $2,500 to returning teams to fully build and equip their boats.

The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is a state-established cooperative that, along with its 26 cities and retail suppliers, serves nearly 19 million people in six counties. The district imports water from the Colorado River and Northern California to supplement local supplies, and helps its members to develop increased water conservation, recycling, storage and other resource-management programs.

2020 Solar Cup Teams
Member Agency Sponsor	Team/School Name	City	Status
Anaheim Public Utilities	Anaheim High School	Anaheim	Veteran
Burbank Water & Power	Burbank High School	Burbank	Veteran
Long Beach Water Department	Cabrillo High School	Long Beach	Veteran
Las Virgenes MWD	Calabasas High School	Calabasas	Veteran
Western MWD*	Centennial High School	Corona	Veteran
Inland Empire Utilities Agency*	Chino High School	Chino	Veteran
Inland Empire Utilities Agency*	Chino Hills High School	Chino Hills	Veteran
City of Compton	Compton High School	Compton	Veteran
Municipal Water District of Orange County	Costa Mesa High School	Costa Mesa	Veteran
San Diego County Water Authority	Del Lago Academy	Escondido	Veteran
Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD	Don Bosco Technical Institute	Rosemead	Veteran
Central Basin MWD	Downey High School	Downey	Veteran
Western MWD*	Eastvale STEM Academy @ Roosevelt HS	Eastvale	Veteran
Western MWD*	Elsinore HS / Lakeside HS / Temescal Canyon HS	Wildomar	Veteran
Eastern MWD*	Hemet USD Team	Hemet	Veteran
San Diego County Water Authority	High Tech High North County	San Marcos	Veteran
Pasadena Water & Power	John Muir High School	Pasadena	Veteran
Central Basin MWD	La Mirada HS	La Mirada	Rookie
West Basin MWD	Lawndale High School	Lawndale	Veteran
West Basin MWD	Lennox Math, Science & Technology Academy	Lennox	Veteran
Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD	Los Altos High School	Hacienda Heights	Veteran
Inland Empire Utilities Agency*	Los Osos High School	Rancho Cucamonga	Veteran
Long Beach Water Department	McBride High School	Long Beach	Veteran
West Basin MWD	Mira Costa High School	Manhattan Beach	Veteran
Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD	Mountain View High School	El Monte	Veteran
Three Valleys MWD*	Nogales High School	La Puente	Veteran
Las Virgenes MWD	Oaks Christian School	Westlake Village	Veteran
Municipal Water District of Orange County*	Oxford Academy	Cypress	Veteran
West Basin MWD	Palos Verdes Peninsula High School	Rolling Hills Estates	Veteran
Eastern MWD*	Perris Union High SD Team	Perris	Veteran
Three Valleys MWD*	Pomona High School	Pomona	Veteran
Three Valleys MWD*	San Dimas High School	San Dimas	Veteran
Upper San Gabriel Valley MWD	Sierra Vista High School	Baldwin Park	Veteran
Inland Empire Utilities Agency*	Upland High School	Upland	Veteran
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power	Venice HS STEMM Magnet	Los Angeles	Veteran
Three Valleys MWD	Village Academy High School	Pomona	Rookie
* = has co-sponsor(s) Bold = rookie