BUHLER, Kan. — Two Buhler High School seniors, Isaak Neighbor and Andrew Morgan won the Regional Championship at the 2025 Kansas KidWind Challenge on Wednesday, Feb. 5 in Hutchinson. This was the duo’s fourth year in a row competing and the third time in a row they won at the regional level.
‘Cru Winds’ also received Most Artistic Turbine and Judge’s Choice Award at the competition.
At the KidWind Challenge, student teams work together to design, build and test a wind turbine using the materials of their choice. Each team’s turbine is then put to the test in a 48″ × 48″ wind tunnel at a wind speed of approximately 3.5-5 m/s (meters per second). Scoring is based on turbine performance, a knowledge quiz, a presentation to judges where the team explains its design process, and an instant challenge.
Curtis Morgan, the Buhler Crusaders KidWind competition coach and BHS science teacher and Cross Country/Assistant Track Coach compared this year’s competition to previous years, noting that there were more teams than usual.
“Typically, at this regional competition there was probably four to five, sometimes six teams at the max,” Mr. Morgan said. “This year there were nine teams.”
There were about five or six schools competing at Stringer Fine Arts in Hutchinson on Wednesday. A couple of the schools had two teams.
“That was good to see in our regional, that more schools are getting involved in this,” Morgan added.
The Crusaders had two teams this year. One team comprised of two senior boys and then a second team with two freshmen. Morgan said they get freshmen involved to introduce to the competition and help get used to it for future competitions.
“They’re already looking forward to next year,” he said.
Mr. Morgan has always enjoyed the KidWind Challenge, whether he was helping judge or was bringing students to participate in the competitions through the years.
“I have been involved with taking kids to KidWind competitions probably since like 2008,” Morgan said. “There were some years I was actually involved in helping run off the competitions — Running off regional and state competitions.”
Mr. Morgan also judged the national competition for several years in the past.
This is the third year that Isaak and Andrew have won the regional championship according to Mr. Morgan. Their freshman year, the two were on separate teams, and Andrew took second at the regional competition.
“So it’ll be his [Andrew’s] fourth year of going state,” Morgan said. “And Isaac kind of combined with him at the end of his freshman year then the next three years they went together.”
Their sophomore years, the boys qualified for out of state national competitions.
Winning Most Artistic Turbine was a surprise to the team, but they were grateful to accept the award along with the Judges’ Choice Award as well.
“That was pretty cool to see,” Morgan said.
Five more regional events are scheduled throughout the month in Colby (Feb. 11), Dodge City (POSTPONED TO MARCH 6), Overland Park (Feb. 19), Manhattan (Feb. 25), and Burlington (Feb. 28). All events are open to the public. The Event Guide, complete with times and locations, is available here.
The state KidWind Challenge will be held in Salina on April 5, 2025 (location to be determined).
