Middle School Students Build, Race Solar Vehicles

A team of students from Holy Cross School in Dover earned the most points in combined design, portfolio and race competitions to win first place in the 2025 Junior Solar Sprint held on the campus of Delaware State University in Dover today.

A second Holy Cross team placed second in the competition, with a team from Frederick Thomas Middle placing third in the overall competition.

This marked the 31^st 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. Students in grades 5 through 8 work with classmates and teacher advisors over several months to build model cars powered by solar photovoltaic cells, better known as solar panels.

DNREC Secretary Greg Patterson kicked off the annual event, telling students there is a direct line from this competition to a clean and sustainable future through expansion of renewable energy.

“The impacts of climate change are real, and they are affecting our lives today,” he said. “But Junior Solar Sprint shows us that, by working together, we can find solutions to the environmental challenges we face.”

Kim Cole, Director of DNREC’s Division of Climate, Coastal and Energy, said the Division looks forward to hosting the Junior Solar Sprint each year.

“We are proud to partner with the TSA to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Math through the annual Junior Solar Sprint,” she said. “The competition is intense, and students once again rose to the occasion with their work in the portfolio, creative design and race categories.”

Students received points in each of the three categories. The team accumulating the most points is crowned the overall champion. TSA-affiliated teams also can earn the opportunity to represent Delaware against other students from around the country in the national TSA conference, which is being held in Nashville, Tenn. June 27 through July 1.

Eleven teams from seven Delaware schools participated in the 2025 competition. Schools participating included Las Americas ASPIRA Academy, Holy Cross School, Leisure Elementary, Sussex Montessori School, Frederick Thomas Middle School, Conrad School of Science and H.B. DuPont.

Competition results:

The all-around winners for combined speed, design and portfolio presentations were:

• 1st place: Team 7, Holy Cross School II: Bryce Lewis, Makenzie Ford, Adaya Moore and Nicholas Klaus.
• 2^nd place: Team 6, Holy Cross School I: Kaley Williams, Gianna Keen and Natalia Gonzalvo.
• 3^rd place: Team 5: H.B. DuPont School: Jeffrey Van Horn, Alexander Martin, Jialong Liu and Arjun Nathan Senthil.

Top results from the double elimination races were:

• 1^st place: Team 7, Holy Cross School II: Bryce Lewis, Makenzie Ford, Adaya Moore and Nicholas Klaus.
• 2^nd place: Team 5, H.B. DuPont School: Jeffrey Van Horn, Alexander Martin, Jialong Liu and Arjun Nathan Senthil.
• 3^rd place: Team 6, Holy Cross School I: Kaley Williams, Gianna Keen and Natalia Gonzalvo.

Top results from the design competition were:

• 1^st place: Team 7, Holy Cross School II: Bryce Lewis, Makenzie Ford, Adaya Moore and Nicholas Klaus.
• 2^nd place: Team 9, Las Americas ASPIRA Academy II: Jonny Flores and Kaden Deshong.
• 3^rd place: Team 10, Leisure Elementary: Rhys Scott, Nympha Gatimu, Portia Jalloh and Zaniah Nickens-Brabham.

Top results from the portfolio competition were:

• 1^st place: Team 11, Leisure Elementary II: Nora’a Bell, Aniyah Jackson, Jordan Ryder, Sakari Watson and Jaiden Watson.
• 2^nd place: Team 10, Leisure Elementary I: Rhys Scott, Nympha Gatimu, Portia Jalloh and Zaniah Nickens-Brabham.
• 3^rd. place: Team 4, Frederick Thomas Middle School II: Kalieah Boyer, Jaelynn Martin, William Petrone and Samuel Schubert.

Visit de.gov/solarsprint for more information on the Junior Solar Sprint.

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 Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media Contact: Michael Globetti, Michael.globetti@delaware.gov or Jim Lee, JamesW.Lee@delaware.gov

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A mother and son enjoy a successful “Take A Kid Fishing!” outing at Dover’s Silver Lake. /DNREC photo

Full Schedule of Fun Fishing Adventures Ahead for Young Anglers

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control invites budding anglers ages 6 through 15 along with their parents, grandparents or guardians to join DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife aquatic resource educators and learn how to fish at an upcoming “Take a Kid Fishing!” event.

“Take a Kid Fishing!” outings are offered by DNREC from spring into summer, primarily at the DNREC Aquatic Resources Education Center (AREC) near Smyrna but also at other locations throughout the state. The events are free of charge to all participants. All fishing equipment also is provided at no charge for use at the events. To ensure that enough supplies are on hand for each Take-A-Kid Fishing! adventure, preregistration is required at de.gov/takf.

Take A Kid Fishing! events will be held as follows throughout spring and summer:

• Tuesday, April 22, 9 a.m. to noon, AREC, Smyrna
• Thursday, April 24, Noon to 3 p.m., AREC, Smyrna
• Thursday, May 29, 5 to 7:30 p.m., Silver Lake Park, Dover
• Saturday, June 7, 9 a.m. to noon, AREC, Smyrna
• Thursday, June 12, 9 a.m. to noon, AREC, Smyrna
• Friday, June 20, 9 a.m. to noon, AREC, Smyrna
• Thursday, June 26, 5-7:30 p.m., AREC, Smyrna
• Sunday, June 29, 9 a.m.-noon, Bellevue State Park, Wilmington
• Thursday, July 10, 9 a.m.-noon, AREC, Smyrna
• Thursday, July 17, 5-7:30 p.m., AREC, Smyrna
• Saturday, July 19, 9 a.m.-noon, Lums Pond State Park, Bear
• Thursday, July 24, 5-7:30 p.m., Silver Lake Park, Dover
• Saturday, Aug. 2, 9 a.m.-noon, AREC, Smyrna

“Take a Kid Fishing!” teaches young anglers fundamental fishing skills and conservation concepts, including catch-and-release. Along with the angling experience, the free fishing events also feature activity stations and prizes. Parents, grandparents and guardians are encouraged to pack refreshments and a picnic lunch when taking part in in a Take A Kid Fishing! event.

Individuals 16 years of age and older who accompany “Take a Kid Fishing!” participants and engage in fishing themselves must have a current Delaware fishing license and a Delaware Fisherman Information Network (FIN) number. Delaware recreational fishing licenses are sold online and by license agents statewide. License-exempt anglers, including Delaware residents 65 and older, may obtain a free FIN number online or from a license agent where recreational fishing licenses are sold. Online services available at DigitalDNREC include fishing license sales, FIN number access, and a list of participating license agents. Young people under age 16 are exempt from license and FIN requirements.

More information for anglers young and older, including the 2025 Delaware Fishing Guide, can be found on the DNREC website. The guide is also available in printed form from authorized license agents throughout the state.

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 Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov 

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A DNREC groundwater monitoring site in the town of Bowers in Kent County. /DNREC photo

With Delaware experiencing the drought conditions prevalent in much of the country and under a drought watch since late October of last year, the Delaware Climate Office has launched a website to help Delawareans stay informed about the state’s water supply. The site was developed by the University of Delaware’s Center for Environmental Monitoring and Analysis in partnership with the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC) and the Delaware Geological Survey (DGS).

The Drought Resources and Awareness website provides updates on a regular basis as drought conditions persist, with reporting that includes precipitation measurements by county and municipality, and what those levels represent for Delaware as drought conditions persist. The site also includes links to DGS Water Conditions Report, the US Drought Monitor, and Delaware’s Water Supply Coordinating Council, which is charged with planning and managing Delaware water supplies to ensure they can meet peak demand during times of water shortage.

“The website integrates data from diverse sources into easily-grasped facts about the drought conditions we’ve been facing in Delaware – particularly with concerns for our surface water supplies in northern New Castle County and our groundwater and soil moisture statewide as we move into planting season,” said DNREC Division of Water Director Steve Smailer. “There’s never been a greater need for bundling the facets of our water supply and the climatic conditions affecting it into an informational site for the public.”

State Climatologist Dr. Kevin Brinson, who worked with DGS and the University of Delaware’s Water Resources Center in developing the new site, said: “We hope this is a good first step towards providing drought information that’s not only important to water supply, but to other water-critical sectors, such as agriculture and natural ecosystems.

“DNREC has provided tremendous leadership in coordinating our state’s drought monitoring efforts across government, academia, and industry,” Brinson said. “Together, I’m confident that we can continue to enhance the information available through this site with more monitoring data and water demand information.”

DGS Professional Geologist and Hydrologist Stefanie Baxter, who helped develop the site, agreed: “The new drought website integrates data and observations from key Delaware agencies for monitoring and managing water resources,” she said. “Droughts will come and go in the future, so this site is a major milestone for providing current water conditions information.”

The current drought awareness report posted on the site offers encouraging news about recent rainfall and improving groundwater conditions. The report shares that:

• March precipitation is above normal in just about every location in Delaware, especially Sussex County.
• Stream conditions in northern Delaware are improving, and chloride levels on the Christina River are decreasing.
• Groundwater conditions are below normal at most wells in the state, but they have continued to improve due to the wet March conditions.
• Long-term (Spring 2025) drought outlook shows drought conditions improving statewide.

The site also includes a “Drought Discussion” section, where water experts from the sponsoring agencies summarize current conditions using charts, graphs and share expert commentary from select locations throughout the state.

Another feature is links to drought-related webpages for the surrounding states of Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania, all of which are facing similar circumstances with water supply and scarce rainfall as has Delaware over the last year.

To explore current drought conditions and water supply updates, visit https://climate.udel.edu/drought/.

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 Water manages and protects Delaware’s water resources. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov 

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DuPont Nature Center offers visitors a closeup look at the center’s resident diamondback terrapin. These turtles are at risk from pollution by ingesting potentially harmful microplastics, habitat loss and as bycatch by recreational anglers and crabbers. /DNREC Photo

Visitors to the DuPont Nature Center near Milford are invited to celebrate Earth Month by attending special programs in April while enjoying the views of Mispillion Harbor and learning more about the Delaware River and Bay. A facility of the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, the center will host three public events for Earth Month free of charge, with no registration required:

• Earth Day Slaughter Beach Cleanup, Tuesday, April 22 (Earth Day), 10 a.m. The DuPont Nature Center will host its annual Earth Day Cleanup at Slaughter Beach, encouraging volunteers to walk the beach and help our environment. The cleanup will start at the Slaughter Beach Pavilion, 359 Bay Avenue, Milford. Trash bags, gloves, and a limited amount of trash pickers will be available.

• Delaware Wildlife Action Plan, Wednesday, April 23, 4 p.m. In honor of Earth Month, DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife Environmental Program Manager Anthony Gonzon will present a lecture on the Delaware Wildlife Action Plan. This plan plays a critical role in our understanding of, and protection for our state’s threatened and endangered species, and the work DNREC does to support them.

• Storybook Saturday, Saturday, April 26, 11 a.m. Bring the kids for a special Earth-Day themed Storybook Saturday program at the center. Participants will enjoy reading a fun book that connects to the importance of protecting our planet and then making a craft with recycled materials.

For more information about these programs, or the DuPont Nature Center, call 302-422-1329. To join DNREC in celebrating Earth Day throughout the month of April, visit de.gov/earthday.

Located east of Milford near Slaughter Beach and operated by the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife, the DuPont Nature Center overlooks Mispillion Harbor, where the Mispillion River and Cedar Creek meet to flow out into the Delaware Bay. Open April through September, the center offers field trips, tours and other educational programs and events for schools, community groups, families and the general public. The surrounding estuary habitat includes more than 130 species of birds, fish, shellfish, and other animals, including horseshoe crabs and shorebirds.

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 Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov 

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Kimberly Pokoiski bagged a Delaware gobbler during a previous turkey season – this year’s season runs from April 12-May 10 /Photo by Paul Skibicki

Hunters Who Bag a Gobbler Will now Record Data Online or by Phone Rather Than at Check Stations as in Past Years

When Delaware’s 2025 spring wild turkey season opens with a special two-day hunt Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6 for youth and non-ambulatory hunters, the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control will be launching a new registration system for hunters who harvest gobblers in the First State. Additionally, turkey hunting will be allowed on Sundays for the first time since the season was opened in 1991.

Sunday turkey hunting is allowed on private lands with landowner permission and on State Wildlife Areas. Hunting on Sunday is not permitted on State Forests or Delaware’s National Wildlife Refuge complex, Bombay Hook NWR and Prime Hook NWR. Turkey hunters should note that the annual Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide indicates the special hunt for youth and non-ambulatory adult hunters is only open on Saturday, April 5 but as the special hunt covers two days, it will also be open Sunday, April 6 on private lands, with landowner permission, and on State Wildlife Areas open to turkey hunting.

Youth participating in the two-day hunt must be 10 to 15 years old and accompanied by an adult 21 years of age or older who has completed a Delaware-approved turkey hunter safety class and who possesses a Delaware hunting license or License Exempt Number (LEN). Accompanying adults may not hunt during the special youth-day hunt. Regular-season turkey hunters under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult of 21 years of age or older who has completed a Delaware-approved turkey hunter safety class and who possesses a Delaware hunting license or LEN. Non-ambulatory hunters who participate in the special two-day hunt must use a wheelchair for mobility.

The regular turkey season runs from April 12 through May 10, and over the course of it, hunters for the first time will register their turkeys online through the Digital DNREC app, or by calling 855-DEL-HUNT (855-335-4868), rather than taking their harvest to traditional check stations throughout the state. “We want to express our gratitude to all of the shops and private businesses that helped us with the registration process over the years since Delaware’s first turkey hunting season in 1991, and got us to the point where we were able to modernize the check-in process,” said DNREC Wildlife Section Administrator Joe Rogerson.

The new process, also to be deployed for the special youth and non-ambulatory hunter day, is identical to that for hunters registering white-tailed deer in Delaware, Rogerson said: “Online registration has proven to be more efficient with deer and will enable faster data recording with turkeys, too, giving hunters more time to tell their friends and family of how they achieved the most challenging of outdoor recreation successes in Delaware – bagging a big gobbler.”

Hunters can register their turkey after logging into their Digital DNREC account – or may expedite recording their information by clicking the Quick Hunting Registration link at the Digital DNREC app.

Additionally, Delaware turkey hunters are reminded that the DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife has implemented new turkey harvest reporting procedures for the 2025 season. Hunters are now required to complete their turkey harvest report card prior to moving their bird from the location where it was harvested. Further change requires all first-time turkey hunters in Delaware age 13 or older to successfully complete a DNREC Division of Fish and Wildlife-approved turkey education course. Hunters who have completed the course receive the turkey harvest report card when purchasing their license or obtaining their License Exempt Number (LEN). Any hunters who took the turkey education course but did not receive a turkey harvest report card when obtaining a license or LEN are asked to contact the DNREC Hunter Education Office at 302-735-3600 ext. 1. For more information about turkey hunting and the registration procedures, hunters should refer to the Delaware Hunting and Trapping Guide.

Record numbers of turkey hunters are expected to pursue Delaware gobblers this year after an all-time high of 834 valid turkey hunting applications were submitted for the 2025 spring turkey hunting permit lottery – with another high of 544 permits available to hunters for the upcoming season. For more information about hunting on State Wildlife Areas, wild turkey hunting in Delaware or the annual turkey hunting permit lottery, visit de.gov/hunting.

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 Fish and Wildlife conserves and manages Delaware’s fish and wildlife and their habitats, and provides fishing, hunting, wildlife viewing and boating access on more than 68,000 acres of public land. For more information, visit the website and connect with @DelawareDNREC on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly known as Twitter) or LinkedIn.

Media contacts: Michael Globetti, michael.globetti@delaware.gov; Nikki Lavoie, nikki.lavoie@delaware.gov 

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