ASHLAND, Ohio — Students at Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center (ACWHCC) are embarking on a new venture – a Formula High School race car project.
The Formula competition race car project was initially developed in Wisconsin to provide a talent showcase to students who are interested in the Science, Technology, Electronics, and Math (STEM) fields.
“We want to encourage cooperation between our programs and give students a chance to enjoy the end product of their work while experiencing how projects and products actually come together,” said Superintendent Mike McDaniel. “Through the Formula High School project, students can learn problem solving techniques, develop creativity, learn highly technical skills, increase their employability, and have some fun at the same time.”
Teams of students will be drawn from several ACWHCC programs and they will take leadership roles with guidance from ACWHCC instructors. These students will be responsible for applying skills learned in their programs to construct a racing vehicle to a strict set of guidelines.
In one school year, they will produce a safe vehicle that will closely resemble the current SCCA Formula First race vehicle. McDaniel is enthusiastic.
“We have a donated motor and computer drawings and specifications. We’ve purchased the fiberglass body and have enlisted the support of Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course of Lexington to provide a track for the car and instruction in race-driving techniques,” he said. “I think students will be motivated to have a chance to drive the car they have built themselves along with a chance to enter their car in the national competition with other participating high schools from Indiana and Wisconsin.”
A Formula race car built by high school students in Wisconsin is currently on loan to ACWHCC until spring.
