The Newburgh Enlarged City School District is proud to announce that the Newburgh Free Academy Solar Racing Team participated in the 2012 Shell EcoMarathon in Houston, Texas from Thursday, March 29, until Sunday, April 1, 2012, resulting in the NFA Solar Racing Team becoming the 2012 Solar Prototype Champion of the Americas.
The team took 28 students and four vehicles- two solar vehicles and two battery electric vehicles, to the event. Competing against other teams from as far away as Brazil and Alberta, Canada, the NFA Solar Racing Team not only out-distanced the other competitors, but ended with a surplus of energy from their solar panels.
According to Advisor Christopher Eachus, the team members worked hard throughout the competition constantly fixing problems and improving efficiency in order to have both solar vehicles place in the top three by the end of the competition. Eachus explains that the high school team members were very proud of the fact that they were able to produce, maintain and compete in solar car racing and efficiency against college teams and other high school teams from around the Americas. The team members hope to return again next year to defendtheir title and be competitive in other categories of the competition.
Press release by Kerry Butrick
