Challenge X 2007
Outreach Plan
Team: West Virginia University
Name of Outreach Coordinator: Lindsay Boyd
Phone Number/e-mail of Coordinator:540-577-1819,
Dedicated Outreach Coordinator (Y/N): No
If no, please list other role the O.C. has on your team: Hybrid system wiring
Date posted: November 2, 2006
Outreach Plan
A. Summary Overview of Outreach Plan
West Virginia University’s (WVU) Challenge X Outreach Program for year three intends to raise awareness about using alternative fuels and advanced vehicle technologies to reduce emissions and decrease fuel consumption in present day vehicles. WVU feels that it is important for the general public to be informed of the importance of these issues due to the fact that our present vehicles may no longer be sustainable in years to come.
The WVU Challenge X Team has been a part of numerous outreach events in our community including Balloon Fest, Odyssey Day, Freshman Fest, and various youth events at local schools. WVU plans to continue the outreach in the community as well as the outreach to the youth of the surrounding areas, not only in schools, but also in extracurricular youth activities such as boy scouts and girl scouts.
B. Media Relations
Thus far in year three, a couple of articles are in the process of being published. One is on the WVU College of Engineering website and another possibly in the semi-annual College of Engineering magazine, EngineeringWV, which is sent out to current students and alumni of WVU’s engineering school.
WVU Challenge X has plans to contact local newspapers and television stations to extend our outreach beyond planned events. WVU broadcasting and journalism students plan to use the Challenge X competition and our vehicle for class projects and for an article in the WVU newspaper.
WVU also plans to have a “Dean Ride and Drive” in the spring semester. This will involve inviting the Dean of the College of Engineering at WVU to come for a ride in the Challenge X vehicle and see the progress that the team has made. Local television stations and newspapers will be contacted beforehand to cover the event.
C. Youth Outreach
Activity / Tentative Date / Overview of Event / Audience / Participants1 / Student Outreach in Ottawa, Canada / 10/17/2006 / Explained Challenge X, architecture, and technology of vehicle to students in Ottawa. / grades 4-8 / Radar-Dan Adamson
2 / Liberty High School, Clarksburg, WV / 10/26/2006 / Displayed vehicle to 9-12 grade science classes. Explained how vehicle works. / grades 9-12 / Outreach Coordinator-Lindsay Boyd, Radar-Dan Adamson, Grad. Advisor-Howard Mearns, Hybrid Leader-Josh Lantz, Team Member- Mark Shroyer
3 / Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, PA / 1/2007 / Display and explain vehicle technology and Challenge X competition. / grades 9-12 / Outreach Coordinator-Lindsay Boyd, Radar-Dan Adamson, Grad. Advisor-Howard Mearns
4 / Morgantown, WV Area High Schools / 2/2007 / Display and explain vehicle technology and Challenge X competition. / grades 9-12 / Outreach Coordinator-Lindsay Boyd, Radar-Dan Adamson, Grad. Advisor-Howard Mearns
5 / Morgantown Girl and/or Boy Scouts / 3/2007 / Display and explain vehicle technology and Challenge X competition and explain the importance of alternative fuel research. / Grades 3-8 / Outreach Coordinator-Lindsay Boyd, Radar-Dan Adamson
D. Community Outreach
Activity / Tentative Date / Overview of Event / Audience / Participants1 / NAFTC Training / 7/25/2006 7/26/2006 / National Alternative Fuels Training Consortium / Community / Grad. Advisor- Howard Mearns, Team member- Jeremy Sigley
2 / Freshman Fest / Event for freshmen to find their department and decide what major they would like to join. / College Freshmen / Grad. Advisor- Howard Mearns, Grad. Assistant- Derek Johnson, Team Captain-Chris Gee, Team member- Andrew Eakins
3 / Mylan Park First Annual Giant Car Show / 9/12/06 / Car show that raises money for operating expenses and maintaining ball fields used for kids athletics in Morgantown, WV. / Community / Advising Professor-Nigel Clark, Grad. Advisor-Howard Mearns, Grad. Assistant-Derek Johnson
4 / Odyssey / 10/12/2006 / A national convention for alternative fuels. / Community / Grad. Advisor- Howard Mearns, Grad. Assistant- Derek Johnson, Team Captain-Chris Gee, Team member- Andrew Eakins
5 / Department Visitation / 10/18/2006 10/19/2006 / Event for freshmen to get to know their department and see some of the projects they might get to work on. / College Freshmen / Team Captain- Chris Gee, Grad. Advisor- Howard Mearns
6 / Dean’s Ride and Drive / 3/2007 / Inviting the Dean of the college to come and ride in the Challenge X vehicle and see the progress that has been made. / Community / Outreach Coordinator-Lindsay Boyd, Radar-Dan Adamson
E. Sponsor Outreach
Activity / Tentative Date / Overview of Event / Audience / Participants1 / Outreach with Mototron Representative / 2/2007 / Invite Mototron Representative Jeff Rinker to WVU to present information about the controllers used in the WVU Challenge X vehicle. / Community / Outreach Coordinator-Lindsay Boyd, Radar-Dan Adamson,
F. Website
The team website will be updated this year to enhance its appearance by incorporating WVU’s school colors and also to update any outdated information such as team captain, co-captain, outreach coordinator, etc. Also a Challenge X team picture is to be added and a variety of photos taken during various outreach events from this year.
Reported by: Lindsay Boyd Date: 11-1-06
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