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Seaman USD 345 students advance to state KidWind; board praises hands‑on learning
Summary
Two student teams from Seaman USD 345 competed at regionals and advanced to the Kansas KidWind state competition; students described technical choices (cardboard blades, 32:1 gear ratio) and preparation routines; board members praised their achievement.
During the public‑communications portion of the meeting, student members of Seaman USD 345’s KidWind teams described their experiences advancing from regionals to state competition.
One student presenter said the program began in December with about 20 participants and the district was able to take two teams to regionals and state. Team members credited rigorous practice (some sessions 07:45–08:30 several mornings a week), technical learning about blade design and gear ratios, and success in the instant‑challenge portions of competitions.
“We got more joules with the 32 to 1 gear ratio,” a student said, explaining why the team adjusted from the more common 8 to 1 gearing. The students also described using lightweight cardboard blades, learning about pitch with protractors, and trying breadboard electronics for power and measurement components at regionals.
Board members and staff applauded the teams. Superintendent Wilson and others praised their work and noted the program’s educational value as an example of applied STEM learning.
What’s next: students said they plan to work on mechanical building skills over the summer and return next season with refinements to their designs.
