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      News Release

May 12, 2009


13th Annual Solar Olympics at UWSP

Twenty-six high school teams from Northeast and Central Wisconsin will compete in the 13th annual Wisconsin Solar Olympics on Wednesday, May 13, at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

 The Solar Olympics will be held on campus, rain or shine, from 9 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. Events will be held at the Specht Memorial Forum located west of the Noel Fine Arts Center, in the University Library and in the Laird Room in the Dreyfus University Center. The Solar Olympics, sponsored by UWSP and the WPS (Wisconsin Public Service) Community Foundation, are free and open to the public. This is the third time the Solar Olympics have been held at UWSP.

 “The Solar Olympics has become a UW System tradition each spring and the support from the campus, community and fellow sponsor WPS makes this event a great success and a wonderful learning experience,” said Carrie Ziolkowski, energy education program coordinator at UWSP.

For the competition, student teams design and construct a variety of solar-powered devices ranging from solar cookers and model cars to sculptures and building design that the students will display and demonstrate at the Olympics. The teams also will compete in a “solar jeopardy” quiz game and events for building design, marketing campaign, T-shirt design, sculpture, photography, public presentations, art challenge and an essay.

 Judges for Solar Olympics come from local businesses, the UW System, the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education housed at UWSP, and Wisconsin Public Service.

 UWSP students also will be leading campus tours during the day including stops at the University Library’s green roof, the photovoltaic window at the Noel Fine Arts Center, and at the College of Natural Resources. The tour focuses on the sustainability aspect of the campus with the following students leading the tours: Erica Berg, Laure McCloskey, Erik Schyvinck, Glenn Wills, Lindsey Wood and Craig Ziolkowski.

 High schools participating include Antigo High School, Ashwaubenon High School, Bay Port High School of Green Bay, Pembine High School, Brillion High School, Chilton High School, D.C. Everest High School of Schofield, De Pere High School, Denmark High School, Green Bay Southwest High School, Green Bay West High School, Kewaunee High School, Lourdes Academy of Oshkosh, Marathon High School, Marinette High School, Merrill High School, Oconto High School, Oshkosh West High School, Pulaski Community High School, Pacelli High School of Stevens Point, Peshtigo High School, Valders High School, Wausau West High School, Wausaukee High School, West De Pere High School and Wrightstown High School.

 More information about the SolarWise Program is on the Web, www.solarwise.com. For information about the Solar Olympics contact Carrie Ziolkowski, 715-346-4651 or cziolkow@uwsp.edu, or Wisconsin Public Service’s Chip Bircher at 920-433-5518.