Simulation Challenge

Join us for the 2025 National Simulation Challenge to try your hand at Flinn Scientific’s WhiteBox Learning software constructing simulated wind turbine blades & wind farms!

Registration is open! Access to WhiteBox Learning will begin for registered students on January 1st.

What is the KidWind Simulation Challenge?

KidWind helps teachers and students creatively explore the science, technology and implications of a world powered by clean energy.

Join KidWind and Flinn Scientific’s WhiteBox Learning (WBL) to try your hand at building a simulated turbine! In this National Challenge, students use the WhiteBox Learning simulation software to construct and test virtual turbines and wind farms.

While learning the software takes a little time, students will not need any of their own materials to participate. The only requirement is an internet-connected computer (tablets are not supported) and the turbine kit we will mail out. View details on system requirements.

Turbine Blade Design and Performance

Students used a simplified CAD program to design complex blades and see how they perform on a KidWind scale turbine in different conditions. Students learned a great deal about airfoils, physics, and other related fields as they designed their blades. The material in this part of the simulation can get complex.

Wind Farm Designs

Students designed and constructed wind farms. They took several factors into account to build a wind farm that produces the most power at the lowest cost. It was a challenge! The simulation is done in a game mode where participants earn points for how well their designs perform, how much they iterate on their designs, and how they do on quizzes. The simulation had 5 levels and it got more challenging to complete each level as students progresses

Blade Construction & Turbine Testing

In 2024 we have added a new component to this Challenge because we want students to experiment in the real world and see how well they can transfer knowledge from the game to real life.

This year students who submit a physical turbine to the Simulation Online Wind Challenge will have a chance to receive an invitation to the World KidWind Challenge in Phoenix, Arizona this May.

How it Works

Who can participate?

The content found in the KidWind Simulation Challenge is most appropriate for high school students who have taken a physics course. Middle school students can also participate but some of the physics concepts maybe challenging.

Registration

An adult educator, coach, or parent must create an account to participate in the National Simulation Challenge. The cost for this account is $20, which you must pay during the registration process. This account holder will then be the primary contact for the National Simulation Challenge and may register up to 25 students. Additional students can be added for $1 per additional student.

Once registered, that account holder will receive an email confirmation. In January, we will provide instructions as well as individual login codes that allow access to the Simulator. If you need to make changes to your registration email Zella@KidWind.org.

Registration is open!

Timeline

November 1st: Registration Opens
Mid-November: Informational Webinar
January 1st: Access to WhiteBox Learning Begins
March 15th: Competition Ends
End of March: Top Performers Recognized

Divisions

There are middle school (6th-8th grades) and high school (9th-12th grades) divisions in the National Simulation Challenge. Students will be scored individually.

Scoring

Simulation Performance
This year, all scores will be individual. The majority of the overall score is derived from how well you perform on the simulation based challenges of blade design and wind farm design.

Blade Construction & Turbine Testing
Those who wish to print and test their blades can submit them to the corresponding Simulation Online Wind Challenge. Students who participate in the Online Challenge component will be scored separately from those who only use the simulation software.

Top performers in this special Online Challenge will receive an invitation to the World KidWind Challenge in May.

Leaderboard

As the competition heats up, we will email a bi-weekly leaderboard of the top performers to all participants. We will display and rank all participants by their performance scores as well as if they have uploaded a physical turbine design to the National Simulation Online Wind Challenge.

Prizes

Top performers in the Sim Challenge will receive a gift card to the KidWind Shop for the opportunity to pick between a few prizes.

Informational Webinars

We will host an informational webinar in November of 2024. Until then, you can take a peek at last year’s webinar here.