The Camp David Gonzalez Solar Cup Team placed second in the Rookie Division and 12th overall at last weekend’s Solar Cup competition at Lake Skinner. The team, which was sponsored by the Las Virgenes Municipal Water District, also placed first in the Rookie Division and fourth overall for crafting a unique water conservation message. Ty Kastendiek of the Los Angeles County Office of Education led the team, made up entirely of incarcerated teens.
The Solar Cup is conducted each year by the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Teams of students from throughout the Southland spend seven months creating 16-foot canoes powered by batteries charged from solar cells. The teams are also responsible for relaying a water conservation message through their projects.
“We’re very proud of Ty Kastendiek and the team who built and raced their boat,” LVMWD general manager John R. Mundy said. “Along with their work on a water conservation message, the students demonstrated dedication and the ability to solve problems and overcome adversity.”