Roanoke Rapids students honored after winning KidWin world title for solar 'Sun Haven' project
June 17, 2026 | Roanoke Rapids City Schools, School Districts, North Carolina
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The Roanoke Rapids High School KidWin team presented their solar-powered "Sun Haven" model to the Roanoke Rapids City Schools board Tuesday, describing a trailer-community design the students developed and saying it earned them regional, state and KidWin World Championship first-place honors in Madison, Wisconsin.
Mandy Clark, the district s public and student information officer, introduced the team and said the students also were recognized at the North Carolina state capital by Representative Rodney Pierce. "This is an astounding team with so much presence and we're just so incredibly proud of them," Clark said.
Team members described technical and design choices used to make the model resilient and affordable in rural contexts. "One big challenge with solar energy in general is how are you going to store that energy and use it later?" a student said, explaining the team used a deep-cycle marine battery to provide round-the-clock power. They also described an Arduino-based control system, app-controlled loads and a temperature gauge tied to a fan to protect a model greenhouse.
Students said they used cargo crates as low-cost building materials and designed shared amenities (grilling area, pool, greenhouse) to foster community and safety. "We wanted to emphasize the importance of renewable energy and fostering community," one student said.
Advisors Shannon Dickinson and Jenny Shaves were thanked for mentorship; Clark noted the team earned a judges award at Worlds and media coverage in Wisconsin. The board and superintendent offered public praise and invited the students to display their project to the board and community.
The presentation served as a public celebration of a district STEM success; the board then continued with regular business, including the superintendent s report and committee actions.
Mandy Clark, the district s public and student information officer, introduced the team and said the students also were recognized at the North Carolina state capital by Representative Rodney Pierce. "This is an astounding team with so much presence and we're just so incredibly proud of them," Clark said.
Team members described technical and design choices used to make the model resilient and affordable in rural contexts. "One big challenge with solar energy in general is how are you going to store that energy and use it later?" a student said, explaining the team used a deep-cycle marine battery to provide round-the-clock power. They also described an Arduino-based control system, app-controlled loads and a temperature gauge tied to a fan to protect a model greenhouse.
Students said they used cargo crates as low-cost building materials and designed shared amenities (grilling area, pool, greenhouse) to foster community and safety. "We wanted to emphasize the importance of renewable energy and fostering community," one student said.
Advisors Shannon Dickinson and Jenny Shaves were thanked for mentorship; Clark noted the team earned a judges award at Worlds and media coverage in Wisconsin. The board and superintendent offered public praise and invited the students to display their project to the board and community.
The presentation served as a public celebration of a district STEM success; the board then continued with regular business, including the superintendent s report and committee actions.
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