Published: Jun 28, 2013 | 21:09 PM

Irvine Ranch Water District Solar Cup Team Ready to Go

Solar Cup team members from El Toro High School were busy putting on the last minute finishing touches to their boat before the technical inspection by Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MWD) engineers.

“We’re still working on the steering assembly,” said instructor Doug Ford. “Things will go quickly over this next week.”

This is the seventh consecutive year that IRWD has teamed up with students from the El Toro High School Engineering Club for the annual race, held at Lake Skinner in Temecula the weekend of May 18-20. The event is hosted by MWD and is in its 10^th year.

Solar Cup is a seven-month program that begins in the fall with boat-building workshops at Three Valleys Municipal Water District in Claremont, and culminates with the race. Teams from 42 high schools from Ventura to San Diego counties are participating in this year’s event. Over the years, more than 7,500 students have participated in Solar Cup, which allows students to apply their skills in math, physics, engineering and communications, while learning about Southern California’s water sources, resource management and alternative energy development.

For more information about IRWD education programs, please visit our website.