High school teams build and design irrigation pumps to benefit small-scale farmers in Xylem-sponsored contest.
Four high school engineering teams (Victor High School, McQuaid Jesuit High School, Honeoye 4-H Robotics Team and Honeoye Falls-Lima High School) were recognized at the Let’s Solve Water Challenge on Oct. 14 for their innovative and efficient water pump designs. Nine FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) teams competed for four prizes in the sixth annual contest sponsored by Xylem Inc. The focus of this year’s challenge was to design and build a portable irrigation pump for small-scale farmers who grow their own food. Many parts of the world do not have access to electricity to power modern irrigation systems.
The winners of this year’s Let’s Solve Water Challenge are: Most elegant design/appearance/presentation: Devil Tech from Victor Senior High School, NY. Fastest time to fill up a 2-gallon bucket: SUITS from Honeoye 4-H Robotics Team, NY. Fastest prime: IgKNIGHTers from McQuaid Jesuit High School, NY. Overall weight (GPM per pound): Cougar Tech from Honeoye Falls-Lima High School, NY.
