Page 165 - Yggdrasil 2023

Solar Car
Another year in the sun Sofia Barrera ‘25
Carrollton competed in the Florida Gulf Coast University SunChase 2023 Solar Car Race with two cars, bringing home a total of four awards.
CarrollSun continued its legacy of great achievements with its yearly competition in Fort Myers. Staying late nights and screaming at the finish line, these students have truly demonstrated a deep love and respect for engineering and problem solving. However, this year marked a change in its usual procession. Two cars were created by two groups of students within the team.
The first car named Miami Drift, in honor of the infamous movie Tokyo Drift, used the skeleton of last year’s car as the main base to start anew for the 2023 race. The team began by stripping the old car and replacing it with a new chassis and panels. Additionally, these girls programmed a new solar charge controller and tested new kinds of batteries.
Paulina Suarez ‘23, Aubrey Bales ‘24, Lauren Nieto ‘24, Natalie Romeo ‘24, Sofia Barrera ‘25, Camila Huck ‘25, and Pia Tilen ‘25 were all a part of creating this incredible vehicle. On race day, they faced challenges with the motor, but ultimately were awarded third place in presentation, third place in the endurance race, and first place in one of the race sprint laps.
The second car, named Hot Wheels, started from scratch and used welding techniques to create a brand new kart from the ground up. Experimenting with bicycle wheels and creating their own steering system, this team showed excellence when it came to intellectual thinking strategies.
Cecilia Swain ‘23, Angelina Membiela ‘24, Claudia Osis ‘25, and Chiara Ortiz ‘25 were all vital to the success of this car. They went through several ongoing challenges during the race, but still won second place in the presentation category.
Although two cars were made, both teams raced as one in sisterhood. Team captain of the Miami Drift team perfectly described what it means to be a member of this squad. “Being a part of the solar car team taught me so much and gave me friendships that I will cherish forever. I know that I will take so many of those lessons and memories with me in the next chapter of my life,” said Paulina Suarez ‘23.
“It’s sad to think that I won’t be a part of the team next year,” said Paulina, “but I know that I’m leaving it in good hands. Like Taylor Swift once said ‘It’s hard not to find it all a little bittersweet’”
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