Blue Ridge students win awards at solar go‑kart and VEX competitions; district highlights its unique fab lab

Students and sponsors from Blue Ridge Unified School District’s engineering and robotics programs reported awards and community support Monday, and district leaders said the school’s fabrication lab provides rare hands-on opportunities for rural students.

Teacher and program representatives described two recent competitions. The district’s Raising the Suns (solar go‑kart) team won the endurance award and was named rookie team of the year at a Tucson competition, according to student and sponsor remarks. Students credited experience from the district’s VEX robotics program with helping them design and run the solar car; several student speakers described how they learned mechanical and electrical skills working as a team.

Adam Gerard, who identified himself as executive director of Arizona@Work Northeastern Arizona, said he had spoken that morning with solar companies and recruited five sponsors to invest in the team. Gerard said the Blue Ridge team competed on a budget under $5,000 while many other teams had budgets in the tens of thousands. He said the team’s car broke down at the event but that students improvised, repaired it without adult intervention and impressed the judges.

Superintendent Dr. Wright and board members praised the program and noted that Blue Ridge hosts “the only fab lab in the state of Arizona that a public school has,” an offering the superintendent said provides unique applied-learning opportunities. The district also highlighted that it supports large CTE programs, including auto and construction, which administrators said were restarted several years ago and now have strong outcomes.

Why it matters: School-run fabrication labs, robotics and solar car competitions provide applied STEM experience that board members and the district say helps students acquire technical and teamwork skills. The sponsor interest Gerard reported could provide seed funding for an entry-level car to allow a freshman team to compete next year.

Key details

- Awards: Rookie of the Year and Endurance Award at the Raising the Suns (solar go‑kart) event (per students and sponsor remarks). - Budget comparison: Blue Ridge team operated with under $5,000; several other teams reportedly had budgets of $20,300 to $40,000. - Sponsorship: Adam Gerard said he had recruited five solar companies interested in investing in the team; he also said he secured a sponsor for an entry-level car costing about $2,500 for a freshman team next year.

Ending: The board invited students, coaches and sponsors to come forward for recognition and a photo; administrators said the fab lab and CTE programs remain priorities for the district.