ULM hosts 3rd Annual KidWind Challenge

Published February 20, 2026

Four middle school students test a model wind turbine.

CAPTION: Students from Cedar Creek School test their wind turbine at the 3rd Annual KidWind Challenge at Bayou Pointe Event Center on January 15, 2026.  

MONROE, La. – The University of Louisiana Monroe hosted the 3rd Annual KidWind Challenge in Louisiana on Thursday, January 15, 2026, at Bayou Pointe Event Center. The event continues to empower students and educators to explore the challenges and opportunities of a clean-powered future. 

Area middle and high school students designed, constructed, and tested small-scale wind turbines and solar structures, gaining hands-on experience in renewable energy and engineering design. Participating schools included Cedar Creek School, Choudrant High School, Sterlington High School, Calhoun Middle School, Good Hope Middle School, West Ridge Middle School, and Woodlawn Junior High School. 

Student teams competed for cash prizes, and the top performers earned invitations to the 2026 World KidWind Challenge, which will be held May 17–20 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. This year, teams from Cedar Creek and Good Hope qualified to advance to the World KidWind Challenge. 

Travel stipends were again provided by event sponsor Pattern Energy, reinforcing the shared commitment to expanding clean energy education in Louisiana. 

The STEM Collective for Innovative LA Stakeholders (SCILS) Region 8 LA STEM Center partnered with ULM for the third consecutive year, continuing to expand access to hands-on STEM experiences and clean energy career pathways across Northeast Louisiana. 

KidWind Challenge founder and director Michael Arquin celebrated the program’s progress in Monroe. “I am so excited to watch the ULM team hold their 3rd KidWind Challenge. What started as an experiment has blossomed into an amazing event that KidWind is proud to be a part of. We are excited to see the top performers at KidWind World in Wisconsin this spring!” 

The continued participation of regional schools reflects growing interest in STEM education and renewable energy innovation. As the event completes its third year at ULM, KidWind Challenge continues to be a platform for discovery, collaboration, and future career exploration. 

For more information about the KidWind Challenge, please visit https://kidwind.org/about/