2007 JSS Results

The JSS was held at Reid Middle School in Pittsfield in late May. Rain forced us all inside, but, says coordinator Cynthia Grippaldi, "Students had a lot of fun anyway, and learned firsthand that solar vehicles need battery back-up to run on cloudy days and at night." The cars this year were truly exceptional, constructed using everything from cardboard and duct tape to styrofoam and wood. Teams raced in double elimination heats, and the winning car, Cricker, went hub to hub up against Blue Streak for speed! What does Cricker mean? One team member said, "It's a combination of cricket and grasshopper."

What's a great way to engage girls and boys in design, engineering, math and construction? The Junior Solar Sprint! Herberg Middle School student Nicole Chaves is thrilled to be at the start line, even though this year's sprint was held in the gym due to rain. It didn't dampen anyone's spirits.

Reid Middle School student Sameer Gilani holds his head in anxiety during the heats. Gilani and his teammate Kevin Lallatin didn't place in any of the prize categories, but CET staff agree they had the best car name: Monty Python Flying Circuts.

Prizes were awarded for speed, innovation, craftsmanship, and technical merit. Berkshire JSS winners are now eligible to attend the regional JSS held in early June in Springfield, where they will compete with students from Maine to Pennsylvania.

2007 Berkshire Junior Solar Sprint Results

Award	Car Number	School	Name of Car	Students
Innovation
First Place	52	Reid Middle School	The Racing Piranhas	John Krebs and Caroline Nadeau
Second Place	22	Monument Valley Middle School	322	Bobby Teggi and Travis Wilton
Third Place Tie	45	Richmond School	Zoomer	Kelsey Marzotto
Third Place Tie	10	Clarksburg School	Candy Coated Turniquette	Brody Moran and Genavieve Twomey
Craftsmanship
First Place	33	Herberg Middle School	Fluffy Bunnies	Leslie Martin and Emily Vigard
Second Place	30	Herberg Middle School	Spotted Lizard	Nicole Chaves and Emily Murray
Third Place	70	Adams Middle School	Jive Turkey	Greg Bosworth, Antonio Cardeno and Andrew Galisa
Technical Merit
First Place	23	Monument Valley Middle School	Brewstewcar	Alfred Brewer, Louisa Carman and Annarose Stewart
Second Place	40	Richmond School	The Lemon	Megan Doerle and Sara Massery
Third Place Tie	33	Herberg Middle School	Fluffy Bunnies	Leslie Martin and Emily Vigard
Speed
First Place	54	Reid Middle School	Cricker	Jordyn Biagiotti, Andrea Moreau and Diedre Lindsey
Second Place	60	Conte Middle School	Blue Streak	Michael Reese
Third Place	52	Reid Middle School	The Racing Piranhas	John Krebs and Caroline Nadeau

We look forward to seeing more fantastic cars next year! If you're interested in starting a JSS team at your school, please contact Cynthia at (413) 445-4556 ext. 25.