(From left to right): Arjun Nathan, Jialong Liu and Alexander Martian from H.B. du Pont Middle School earned first place in the annual Solar Racer competition Monday. /Delaware DNREC photo
Middle School Students Build, Race Solar Vehicles
A team of students from Henry B. du Pont Middle School in Hockessin earned the most points in combined design/display, portfolio and race competitions to win first place in the 2026 Solar Racer event held on the campus of University of Delaware in Newark today.
Solar Racer, formerly Junior Solar Sprint, is a competition in which students in grades 5 through 8 team with classmates and teacher advisors over several months to build model cars powered by solar photovoltaic cells, better known as solar panels.
This marked the 32nd year that the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) has teamed up with the Delaware Technology Student Association (TSA) for the event.
DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson said the annual competition provides hands-on problem-solving experience that is documented in the project portfolios, as well as an opportunity to demonstrate creativity in the design/display competition.
“Solar Racer lets students use knowledge and teamwork to apply clean energy to a challenge,” Patterson said. “In this event that’s racing a car, but the lesson is that they can solve all sorts of problems in a way that has environmental benefits.”
Kim Cole, director of DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy, said the competition is always intense, and this year’s event was no exception.
“Every year the teams take the challenge to new levels,” she said. “This year, the students once again rose to the occasion with their work.”
Teams received points in each of the three categories. The team accumulating the most points is crowned the overall champion. The winning team also earns the opportunity to represent Delaware against other students from around the country in the national TSA conference, which is being held in Washington, DC. June 22-26.
Ten teams from seven Delaware schools participated in the 2026 competition, including Cab Calloway School of the Arts (Wilmington), Odyssey Charter Middle School (Wilmington), Fred Fifer Middle School (Camden), H.B. du Pont Middle School (Hockessin), Louis Redding Middle School (Middletown), Selbyville Middle School and Smyrna Middle School.
About DNREC
The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control protects and manages the state’s natural resources, protects public health, provides outdoor recreational opportunities and educates Delawareans about the environment. The DNREC Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy uses science, education, policy development and incentives to address Delaware’s climate, energy and coastal challenges. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, X or LinkedIn.
Media Contacts: Jim Lee, jamesW.lee@delaware.gov; Alyssa Imprescia, alyssa.imprescia@delaware.gov
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