POLAND, Ohio – Izick Stamp is inspired to be an engineer when he grows up, and Ransome Wallace dreams of being a firefighter.
They will start middle school in the fall. But first the two students, who recently completed fifth grade at Paul C. Bunn Elementary, will compete in the Army Educational Outreach Program’s Junior Solar Sprint racing competition in Nashville, Tenn.
Wallace and Stamp were among classmates who designed and built solar cars from kits provided by the AEOP. Then their team, Team SIRS, raced against others at the school before advancing to a larger competition at Youngstown East and then a regional competition at New London High School. The team placed third at the regional event, earning it a spot in the national competition in Nashville.
Team SIRS was created by combining the first names of its members – teacher Stacie Shepard and students Izick Stamp, Ransome Wallace and Saviel Candalaria, who moved and won’t be participating in the national competition.
The team members built the car that outpaced many in the field. They designed it, created an engineering portfolio of drawings from every angle and tested it. They learned to build circuits, work with wires and make it run both on solar and batteries.
“We learned to make a circuit and how to do wires,” Stamp said. “The black and black wires go together, and the red and red wires connect.”
Stamp’s face lit up as he explained the process of pressing the button, flipping up the switch on the car, setting it onto the floor and letting it go at the right moment.
Wallace said the parts on the bottom of the car must be hooked into a fishing line, which guarantees the car goes straight. He is the one who catches it at the end of the race.
Christina Jandrokovic, science instructional coach at Youngstown City Schools, said the team put a popsicle stick on the front of their car to help with aerodynamics. The car was also designed so the axles have clearance from the solar panel.
“I believe that’s why their car was the fastest,” Jandrokovic said, noting she knew they would win other competitions.
Jandrokovic said the boys have gained so much from the project, which is part of the science, technology, engineering, arts and math class that students attend one day a week.
Jandrokovic said doing a hands-on project has piqued their interest in STEAM fields. They have learned to think and troubleshoot when something goes awry with their vehicle. They can fix it themselves. At the competition, there are no teachers or parents allowed past a certain point, so they are prepared with spare parts.
Jandrokovic also said the students are gaining public speaking experience. Teams that place high in the competition will be interviewed by judges, so the boys are preparing to share their knowledge.
Stamp’s mother, Jesse, said no matter what happens in Nashville, the experience has been a win for the boys.
“My thing is, it’s just the opportunity, the chance for this team to go and experience that,” Jesse Stamp said. “That experience alone is a big prize.”
Pictured at top: Ransome Wallace and Izick Stamp.