Snapping Shoals EMC will hold its first annual Junior Solar Sprint (JSS) competition on Friday, May 3 at the co-op’s headquarters in Covington.

JSS is a classroom based, hands-on, disciplinary program designed to teach principles of energy and science in an atmosphere that is fun and exciting for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students. All participants build small, solar-powered model cars using identical solar panels and motors. Students are encouraged to use math and science principles, together with their creativity, as a means of stimulating interest in technology and incorporating these principles in their education, daily practices and career plans.

The middle schools selected to participate in the Junior Solar Sprint program this year are Clements, Indian Creek and Veterans Memorial (Newton County); Edwards, Memorial and Ray Davis (Rockdale County); and Austin Road (Henry County).

Students from each school worked together to build, decorate and test each car supplied by Snapping Shoals EMC. The fastest cars from each county will be awarded a trophy, as will the fastest overall car. Trophies will also be awarded for the funniest car and the most creative car.

The overall JSS program was developed by Green Power EMC and is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy and Midwest Research Institute, Battelle and Bechtel, managed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and endorsed by the National Science Teachers Association.

Snapping Shoals Electric Membership Corporation is a non-profit, consumer-owned cooperative headquartered in Covington, that provides electric service to about 95,000 residential, commercial and industrial consumers in parts of Rockdale, Henry, Newton, DeKalb, Butts, Walton, Jasper and Morgan counties.