Simulation Challenge
Congratulations to the 2025 National Simulation Challenge participants!
During KidWind's annual Simulation Challenge students try their hand at Flinn Scientific’s WhiteBox Learning software constructing simulated wind turbine blades & wind farms!
2025 Winners
Middle School
High School
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
Wind Farm Designs
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?
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.
Timeline
- November 1st: Registration Opens
- Mid-November: Informational Webinar
- January 1st: Access to WhiteBox Learning Begins
- March 15th by 11:59PM Pacific: Challenge 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 share an informational webinar in January 2025. Until then, you can take a peek at last year’s webinar here.