HPV - Human Powered Vehicles
HPV - Human Powered Vehicles
What is a Human Powered Vehicle and what is the HPV Project?
A Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) is a vehicle that is powered entirely by human generated energy. Each year there are a number of events held around the country which race different classes of these unique vehicles against one another. In 2007 Willmott Park Primary School entered two teams into one such event known as the RACV Energy Breakthrough held annually at a purpose built track in Maryborough, Victoria. Though the 14 hour endurance race is a major highlight of the event, it is only one of four components that make up the whole project. Other components include project presentations, vehicle Design & Construction, and Scrutineering (ensuring vehicle meets safety and design guidelines). It is the combination of these separate parts which come together to determine final team rankings.
Who can participate?
Any Willmott Park student from the grade 5/6 unit is entitled to enrol for participation in the HPV event (in 2009 over 90 students enlisted).
How are the teams selected?
After initial sign up all students undergo a number of fitness and performance based assessments, where a select group of 30 potential representatives are chosen. Eventually 30 are reduced to 26, which when divided evenly make up the 2 teams of 13 students (8 Drivers, 5 Pit Crew) who will compete and represent Willmott Park Primary School at that years event
Event Details
This years RACV Energy Breakthrough event will held from Thursday 19th November 2009 to Sunday 22nd November 2009 in Maryborough, Victoria.
The 14 hour race component of the event will be run from 12 noon on the Friday till 11am on Saturday, with students given a 9 hour break overnight.
Sponsors Wanted!
This event is self funded, meaning in order for us to just get our teams up and ready to compete in Maryborough we need to raise in excess of over $6,000.
We are currently looking for any sponsors who feel they may be able to assist us financially, or who feel they can assist us in any other means. To download an official copy of our sponsorship package form please click the link below, otherwise feel free to contact the school anytime during business hours on (03) 9305 6639.
The RACV Energy Breakthrough event can be a potentially lucrative advertisment forum for any participating sponsor, as the race itself can attract in excess of 20,000 people, not to mention both Local and National Media Coverage.
HPV UPDATE
Upcoming events
October 14th – Vehicle Engineering meeting
November 4th – Final camp payments to be made
November 10th – Endurance Day no.2
November 16th – Student driving test and final information night
November 19th – RACV Energy Breakthrough Event, Maryborough
Vehicle Engineering Meeting
With a large portion of our preparation and time for the ’09 event being put towards the training and education of the students, the design and construction element of our vehicles has been put on the backburner...until now. After receiving a good work over on endurance day 1, a number of issues and suggestions for vehicle improvement have been discussed. With a limited budget at hand, we are seeking interested parents who feel they are able to contribute their own skills and/or resources to assist us with these issues. We will be holding a meeting on Wednesday 14th October at 7pm (week 2, term 4) for any parents who are interested in helping. We hope to see you there!
Endurance Day #2
The second and final endurance day will be held on November 10. This day will be an ideal preparation for the event in Maryborough where we can simulate the conditions and pressures for both drivers and pit crew. It will allow the teams a last chance opportunity to fine tune their skills and responsibilities. The endurance day also allows us as co-ordinators to do a final test of our vehicles and make any necessary last minute alterations. Students are again expected to attend for approximately 7 hours (6:30 – 1:30) with breakfast and lunch provided to them on the day.
Endurance Day Help Wanted
We will once again be looking for some helpful parents who may be able to assist us with catering duties (i.e. preparing and cooking the food on a barbeque) on the day. The role would not require your attendance for more than a couple of hours and the greater the response we get, the more evenly we can share the workload. If you feel you are able to assist us, then please speak to myself, Mark or Tracy prior to the event.
Licence Test/Final Information Evening
As a requirement of the RACV Energy Breakthrough event, all participating students (drivers and pit crew) must successfully complete a licence test. This will take place at our final training session on Monday November 16 (after school). Students will complete their licence test and train with the vehicles before being provided with a complimentary dinner. At the conclusion of this training session, a parent information evening will be conducted to clarify any questions and to hand out important information such as a map of the Maryborough precinct, a timetable of events and answer any further questions/queries in which parents may have. The students will also present their presentations, allowing them to practice in front of an audience prior to the event.
Bunnings Sausage Sizzle
Last Sunday 4th October we held our Bunnings Sausage Sizzle fundraising event at Epping Bunnings. After selling roughly 45kg of sausages, we are extremely happy to announce that we raised around $1,100! An amazing effort. We would like to thank the following people who gave up their time to help out - Nathan and Leanne Marlow, Janine Fox, Kieran and Julie Swanson, Cory and Darren Carlton, Phil Nicholson, Emily and Shane Phillips, and staff members Evan Hughes and Mary Barton. We would also like to thank the families who came down to buy a few sausages!
Sponsorship
Our efforts to raise money for this year’s event has not slowed down since our initial meeting back in April. We have been vigilant in our attempts to seek out sponsorships/donations from a number of local businesses and have been fortunate enough to secure a number of these. We are however still a fair way off our target, so we request parents to continue their efforts in sourcing some more of these sponsors . Special mention needs to go to 2 parents, Darren Carlton (Coles) and Leanne Marlow (Westar Trucks), who between them have helped raise over $1200.
Logo’s and Team apparel
As a means of involving the wider school community and with it raise an awareness of the HPV program, earlier in the year the JSC ran a competition whereby students had a chance to enter their own logo as a design for this year’s Wizard and Warriors teams, with winners receive their own team polo top. After an unbelievably encouraging response the JSC were able to select three winners (with the Wizards sharing 2 students’ ideas). A copy of the winners’ designs is shown below.
These designs will now be sent off to be printed on the team apparel to be worn in Maryborough for the 2009 Project.
It has been considered by the HPV team that some parents and guardians of the students may also wish to purchase team polo’s (approx $15-20) as a means of supporting for their child’s team in Maryborough. Before sizes and team polo type can be considered, to gain a better understanding as to the numbers of people who feel they may be interested in this taking this option up please complete the added section on the HPV Endurance Day 1 note (click the link to download the permission note)
